Failure to adhere to guidelines on storage and planting by agro-dealers and farmers, respectively is partly to blame for the promotion of counterfeit inputs, agriculture stakeholders have heard.

Once the inputs, such as seeds and chemicals are exposed to high temperatures and humidity, according to Pascal Kahesi, a technical sales manager with Faith agro-inputs, their (seeds) expected output automatically turns to counterfeits leading to low yields.

“The seeds generate moisture if exposed under the sun and tend to germinate as a result, such can't give better yields,” he says.

Kahesi said the public sometimes laments buying substandard inputs when the problem is with the stockists and farmers who don’t store them properly.

The revelation was made during a joint press conference of seed firms and the Uganda National Farmers Federation (UNFFE) at the kickstart of the 29th National Agricultural Trade Show in Jinja city on Friday.

Taking place at the Source of River Nile, the 10-day exhibition is running under the theme: Fostering Resilient Agricultural Value Chains to Drive Agro-industrialisation.

Kahesi’s comments emanated from Pherezi Kawumi’s remarks after imploring farmers to embrace the show from where, according to him, they will share and learn the new technologies and innovations at exposure.

Kawumi said it was important for them to know the right agro-dealers on top of issuing them with receipts for purposes of follow-ups.

Janet Ajambo, a Top Seeds sales manager, advised dealers to always store chemicals separately from seeds to avoid contamination.

Meanwhile, UNFFE spokesperson Nelson Tukundande said the theme rhymes with President Yoweri Museveni’s call on Ugandan farmers to add value to their produce and increase their earnings.

“Farmers are getting peanuts from their sweat due to lack of value addition to their produce, this running platform has solutions ranging from a one model farmer,” he urged.