Farmer Tribe Limited not licensed to import seeds – Agric Minister

Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Minister of Food and Agriculture, Wednesday said the Farmer Tribe Company Limited is licensed to engage in retailing in the country but not to import seeds.

The agrochemical company was duly registered with the Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate (PPRSD) of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), as a retailer to sell seeds, on March 25, 2020, and had renewed its licence.

“This can be verified at PPRSD of MoFA,” he said.

Dr Afriyie Akoto said this in response to a question posed by Mr Abed-Nego Azumah Bandim, the Member of Parliament for Bunkpurugu, on whether Farmer Tribe, an agrochemical and seed distribution company based in Tamale, was licensed by the Ministry to import and sell hybrid maize seeds in Ghana.

He told Parliament that the company mobilised the hybrid maize seeds it sold from companies in Ghana engaged in the importation of seeds.

“Mr Speaker, for emphasis, therefore, Farmer Tribe is a retailing company with no license to import seeds into the country,” he said.

Dr Afriyie Akoto, therefore, urged farmers to petition him or other stakeholders for investigations and necessary actions against the company for any breach of business.