One of the biggest problems in the agriculture space in Nigeria is the issue of sub-standard fertilizers. A lot of fertilizers sold in Nigeria are of low quality. Farmers who use these fake fertilizers waste their funds and also harm their crops.
To buy a good fertilizer in Nigeria, you should know how to detect sub-standard fertilizers in Nigeria.
How to know sub-standard fertilizers in Nigeria
\The following are some of the ways to detect fake fertilizers in Nigeria:
Appearance of the Fertilizer
You can know a sub-standard fertilizer by its look. If you are not skillful in detecting good fertilizers, you can engage an expert to help you check the appearance of the fertilizer. Sub-standard granule fertilizers do not appear like the high quality fertilizers.
Price of the Fertilizer
If the price of a fertilizer is too low, you should be very careful; you might be buying a sub-standard fertilizer. The current price of a 50kg bag of NPK 15:15:15 fertilizer in Nigeria is N25,000 – N30,000. If you see a bag of NPK 15:15:15 fertilizer for N15,000, there is a high likelihood that the fertilizer is sub-standard.
Packaging
The packaging and labels of a fertilizer can point to the fact that it is fake. Unscrupulous vendors can make their own bags, packages and labels, if you are meticulous enough, you may be able to spot differences in the legitimate packages and labels of good fertilizers.
Place of Purchase
The place you buy your fertilizers may also determine if the fertilizer is fake. Accredited fertilizer vendors in Nigeria sell high quality fertilizers as they are checked by the regulatory authorities and fertilizer producers. If you buy fertilizers from unaccredited sources, you may be buying sub-standard fertilizers.
Testing
Conducting a test on a fertilizer can show if its sub-standard or not. There are a lot of laboratories in Nigeria where tests can be carried out on different types of fertilizers. The type of test done on fertilizers is the one that determines the nutrient profile of the fertilizers.
Regulatory Approval
Fertilizers with no regulatory approval can be determined to be fake and sub-standard. All fertilizers produced in Nigeria must be certified by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture. Some state governments also have their own regulatory approval process for fertilizer vendors in their states.
Texture of the Fertilizer
The texture of a fertilizer can also be used to know a sub-standard fertilizer. For example, granule NPK fertilizers have same texture and feel. Any NPK fertilizer with a different texture and feel should be suspected.
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