Two agro input shops closed in Lira City for operating without license

22 September 2026, 3:27 pm

By Winnie Auma

Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry have closed two agro-input shops in Lira City over allegations of operating illegally.

Speaking to our reporter, Robert Sola Lakidi, a senior agricultural inspector with the Ministry attached to Northern Uganda, said they carried out an operation in Lira City on 19 September 2026 following complaints about fake fertilisers.

He said the complaints prompted the team to conduct compliance inspections to establish whether agro-input dealers were selling genuine products and ensuring farmers have access to quality inputs.

Lakidi said the inspections also focus on whether agro-input outlets are licensed and whether their workers have certificates showing that they have been trained in the safe use and handling of agricultural chemicals.

He expressed concern that most agro-input dealer shops in Lira City are operating without licences.

The Agricultural Officer for Lira City said 80 per cent of agro-input shops in Lira City are not licensed, although they sell quality products.

He said Maxi Agro Input Dealers and Paco en Paco were closed during the operation because they lacked the requirements needed to operate legally.

Ocaya said officials are investigating the source of the alleged fake fertilisers so that those responsible can face the law.

Nathan Okello, the manager of Paco en Paco Agro Inputs, said that after discovering that the DAP fertiliser supplied to them was fake, they notified officials from Export Trading Group, the distributor of the fertiliser.

Okello said that after the fertiliser was confirmed to be fake, they provided a receipt showing that it had been purchased from another shop. He said they had kept the fertiliser and were no longer selling it, as they wanted to preserve it as evidence.

Regarding registration, Okello said they had already applied to Lira City for registration, but the process was still pending.

Meanwhile, Sam Okai, an agronomist with Export Trading Group, confirmed that he had been informed about the alleged fake fertiliser at Paco en Paco Agro Inputs and said the company was still investigating the matter.