Tighten control over agricultural supplies.

Strengthen inspections and audits.

Recently, the Economic Police Department (Provincial Police) conducted a search of the production and storage warehouse of Viet Duc One-Member Limited Company in Quan Lat Industrial Cluster, Duc Chanh commune (Mo Duc district), and discovered over 271 tons of counterfeit micronutrient fertilizers (including two types: "Rice Fertilizer 1, 2" and "Rice Fertilizer 3"). The counterfeit fertilizers were distributed by the company to provinces in Central and Western Vietnam and supplied according to orders from dealers. The Provincial Police have initiated a criminal case and indicted Mr. Nguyen Duc De, residing in Ha Nhai village, Tinh Ha commune (Son Tinh district), the Director of Viet Duc One-Member Limited Company (Quan Lat Industrial Cluster), for the production and sale of over 271 tons of counterfeit micronutrient fertilizers.

Strict management and supervision of fertilizer products right from the production stage will contribute to "cleaning up" the market and rectifying the situation of counterfeit and substandard fertilizers.

Previously, the Inspection Team of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development also conducted inspections on compliance with the law in the production and business of agricultural inputs serving the 2023-2024 winter-spring crop season for 18 organizations and individuals trading agricultural inputs in the province. As a result, the inspection team discovered that 4 out of 7 fertilizer samples did not meet the national technical standards for fertilizer quality, including: NPK 16-16-8-13S fertilizer supplied by Binh Dinh Fertilizer and General Services Joint Stock Company (Binh Dinh); NPK 16-16-8 fertilizer packaged by Tay Nguyen Fertilizer Company Limited; imported and distributed by Minh Tan Fertilizer Import-Export Joint Stock Company (Dak Lak); and NPK 20-20-25+TE fertilizer supplied by Da Nang Chemical Industry Joint Stock Company (Da Nang City). The NPK 20-20-15 fertilizer sample was supplied by Binh Dien Quang Tri Joint Stock Company (Quang Tri). Regarding plant protection products, the inspection team found that one sample of Niffit 300 EC herbicide supplied by Nicotex Joint Stock Company ( Hanoi ) contained Pretelachlor and Penclorim exceeding the permissible limits according to national standards for plant protection product quality.

Stronger penalties are needed.

Counterfeit and substandard fertilizers and pesticides not only affect crop yields but also negatively impact the environment, product quality, and the health of producers. However, inspections, detection, and handling of establishments producing counterfeit and substandard fertilizers are limited due to the large number of agricultural input production and trading units (6 fertilizer manufacturing enterprises and 645 agricultural input trading establishments granted business licenses), while inspection and control forces are insufficient, coupled with inadequate deterrent penalties. For example, regarding pesticides, from 2015 to the present, the Provincial Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection has detected 64 violations by organizations and individuals, imposing administrative fines totaling over 347.6 million VND. According to Tran Thien Thanh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Tu Nghia District, some agricultural input dealers and businesses are advising farmers to buy counterfeit and substandard fertilizers and pesticides at much lower prices than genuine products from legitimate manufacturers, driven by profit motives. Therefore, in addition to strengthening propaganda and improving legal knowledge and expertise for agricultural input dealers, strong penalties are needed, such as revoking business licenses or prosecuting criminally those businesses and establishments that produce, trade, or sell counterfeit or substandard agricultural inputs.

To contribute to stabilizing the fertilizer market and ensuring a balance of interests between manufacturers, suppliers, and consumers, it is suggested that the relevant professional agencies and local authorities should strengthen control measures coupled with increased penalties.

Text and photos: MY HOA

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Source: https://baoquangngai.vn/kinh-te/nong-nghiep/202405/siet-chat-quan-ly-vat-tu-nong-nghiep-2bd1b2a/