UK Banned Toxins Flood Kenyan Markets: Explosive Investigation Reveals Chinese Product Poisoning
EUobserver, a digital newspaper established in Brussels as a non-profit entity, has revealed that harmful goods prohibited in the United Kingdom are still being sold in Kenya.
On Tuesday, March 27, an investigative report unveiled that Kenyan farmers, predominantly dependent on subsistence agriculture, are utilizing pesticides containing Imidacloprid, a substance recognized for its detrimental effects on bees.
The investigation revealed that the majority of the products are produced by companies located in Germany, China, and India.
In Kenya, subsistence farming is heavily relied upon, and utilizing agricultural inputs like fertilizers and pesticides is crucial for enhancing farmers’ earnings.
The pressure has led to an annual importation of 18,000 tonnes of agricultural products with minimal quality restrictions.
The media outlet stated that in 2008 in Germany, the use of products containing Imidacloprid resulted in a notable decline in the bee population.
In Kenya, toxic pesticides have been utilized, leading to reports from some farmers indicating a decrease in bee populations.
Henry Muriuki, a spokesperson for the Kenya Organic Agriculture Network, informed the media that he had observed a decrease in insect populations, leading certain farmers to resort to manual pollination of their crops.
Insects, particularly bees, play a crucial role in agricultural productivity by aiding in the cross-pollination and fertilization of flowers, leading to increased crop yields.
“All they have in mind is money, and I don’t have money. But the agrochemical companies have lots of money,” he told the outlet.
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Ever since President William Ruto implemented the reduced price of fertilizers at Ksh2,500 instead of Ksh3,500, the agricultural industry has encountered difficulties, including the infiltration of cartels that exploit farmers.
In early March, Africa Uncensored revealed unethical trading tactics employed by a fertilizer producer, who misrepresented sand from a mining location in Kariandusi as organic fertilizer.
The company was alleged to have transported soil to the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB), where it was then marketed and sold as subsidized fertilizer.
Twenty-four hours later, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) issued a recall for all fertilizer brands distributed by the company.
At that time, Esther Ngari, the Managing Director of KEBS, clarified that examinations carried out on 59 samples revealed that the items did not meet the required quality criteria.
“As per our mandate, we have communicated this to the manufacturer and have given them strict conditions to maintain the same high-quality standards we expect, read a statement issued by the regulator,” she explained.
“Therefore, we have withdrawn the standardization mark from (company’s name withheld) and have asked them to recall all their products in the market. We remain committed to ensuring our standards are met to protect the health and well-being of all Kenyans.”
UK Banned Toxins Flood Kenyan Markets: Explosive Investigation Reveals Chinese Product Poisoning
