Kenyans Selling Select Plant Seedlings Without Licence To Be Fined KSh 20k Starting January 2024

• Plant seedling sellers in Kenya will require a licence to sell or propagate specific seedlings across the country
• Seeds and Plants Varieties Regulations 2023 states that any seedling seller without a licence risks a penalty of KSh 20,000 or a jail term not exceeding six months
• The seedlings that require approval for sale include tea, coffee, berries, ginger, sesame, mango and peach, among others

TUKO.co.ke journalist Wycliffe Musalia brings over five years of experience in financial, business, and technology reporting, offering deep insights into Kenyan and global economic trends.

Kenyans selling plant seedlings should have a certificate of registration.

This followed the Seeds and Plant Varieties (Vegetatively Propagating Seeds) Regulations, 2023, which require seedling propagators or producers to be licenced.

What is the fine for seedling sellers without licence?

The regulations directed a penalty of KSh 20,000 or a jail term not exceeding six months for any seedling seller without a licence.

"A person shall not sell Vegetatively Propagating Seed without a valid Vegetatively Propagating Seed producer’s or seller’s registration Certificate.

"A person who contravenes any of the provisions of these Regulations for which no specific penalty has been provided commits an offence and shall be liable to a fine of not exceeding KSh 20,000 or a jail sentence not exceeding six months or both," read the regulations in part.

The Act noted that the certificate of registration shall be effective from January 1 and expire on December 31 every year.

How much is the seedling selling certificate?

This may be renewed upon compliance with the conditions in the Certificate.

Large-scale sellers, including imports and exports, are required to pay a KSh 75,000 fee for the certificate of registration.

Medium-scale sellers' certificate of registration fee is KSh 12,000, while small-scale sellers pay KSh 4,000 to obtain the certificate.

The plant seedlings under this schedule are tea, coffee, berries, ginger, sesame, mango, peach, plum, butterfly pea, sweet clovers, horsetail grass, Napier grass, tree tomatoes and grapes.

Pixies oranges, pineapple, cocoa, aloe vera, vanilla, tea tree, miraa, paprika, sugar cane, cassava, and macadamia nuts, among others.

Livestock Bill 2023 to fine farmers

The regulations are similar to the Livestock Bill 2023, which proposes animal feed regulations that must be adhered to by business operators countrywide.

If the bill is passed into law, farmers or traders cannot sell feeds unless they have been validly registered and issued a registration certificate.

At the same time, individuals who engage in animal farming services without a license could soon face penalties, including a possible fine of up to KSh 500,000.