Kanengo Police have arrested six people suspected of producing counterfeit fertiliser by mixing damaged fertiliser with soil and lime in Mchezi, Lilongwe.
The suspects were arrested on November 4, 2026, after police allegedly found them manufacturing fertiliser believed to have been destined for sale to fertiliser dealers and farmers.
One of the suspects is 37-year-old Winston Kamatenda, who is believed to own Udzadya Thukuta Lako Organic Fertilizer Company.
The company allegedly bought damaged fertiliser and mixed it with soil and lime to increase its quantity, using one bag of damaged fertiliser to produce three bags of the suspected counterfeit product.
Kanengo Police Deputy Spokesperson Inspector Linly Mwale said police seized 62 bags of suspected counterfeit fertiliser, 10 bags of damaged fertiliser, 28 bags of lime and a machine allegedly used to mix the materials.
Mwale said the suspects include Kamatenda and his employees, adding that they will appear in court once police complete processing their case files.
The arrests come amid concerns over the quality of agricultural inputs reaching farmers, with counterfeit fertiliser potentially putting farmers’ investment and crop production at risk.
