AgroPages-Tanzania: State urged to amend the Seed Act-Agricultural news

The Tanzania Official Seed Certification (TOSCI) has asked the government to immediately amend the Seeds Act, 2003 so that the body can have more power to deal with people who sell uncertified seeds in the country.

TOSCI Extension Officer, Ms Matengia Swai told the 'Daily News' that the current law does not give enough powers to TOSCI and thus it has been easier for some traders to sell fake seeds to farmers.

"The current law does not give us power to effectively deal with people who violate principles and regulations of producing seeds, therefore we are asking the government to present the schedule of amendment in the Parliament so that things could change," she said.

She said the current law allows TOSCI to issue a stop order to traders who sell uncertified seeds but it doesn't give them power to take other procedures.

Ms Swai said the government is already in the process of amending the law and that probably things will be in the right track in the near future. "We are aware that the government is already working on the matter, we are asking for the immediate actions so that the amendments could be made," she said.

Moreover, in a bid to control seeds market and avoid selling fake seeds, TOSCI has introduced a new system in which every trader who sell seeds in the country must put a TOSCI label to his/her products.