Crop marketing agents, warehouse owners and transporters now have 14 days to register with the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) or risk a three-year jail term.
In a notice released on Tuesday, AFA, a governmental authority tasked with regulating crops value, also mandated all warehouse operators to apply for certification within the period.
"A notice of fourteen (14) days is hereby given to the Marketing Agents and Transporters to register with the Authority," read the notice in part,
"Additionally, all warehouse operators are instructed to apply for certification with the Authority as provided for in the Crops (Food Crops) Regulations, 2019."
According to section 16 of the Crops Act No. 16 of 2013, all operators in the sector are required to register with the authority or risk a three-year jail term, a Ksh5 million fine or both.
"A person shall not deal in a scheduled, crop unless the person is registered in accordance with this Act," stated the act.
"The Cabinet Secretary shall, in consultation with the relevant county executive committee member responsible for agriculture, prescribe regulations providing for the procedure for registration of dealers and the regulations shall also set out the appeal process in case of refusal or denial of registration."
The affected individuals were, therefore, asked to visit the authorities website, imis.afa.go.ke/afa/, for direction on how to file their registration details.
The authority, which took effect in August 2014, is tasked with enabling traders importing and exporting crops acquire regulatory documents.
In line with the technological advancement, AFA launched the Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) to help farmers acquire the documents from remote locations and at their convenience without having to visit the agency..
The directorates serving under the authority include Coffee Directorate, Sugar Directorate and Horticultural Crops Directorate
Others are Fiber Crops Directorate, Nuts and Oil Crops Directorate, Miraa, Pyrethrum and Industrial Crops Directorate as well as Food Directorate.
