PCB, Police Arrest Mzuzu Trader Over Illegal Pesticides

The Pesticides Control Board (PCB), working jointly with the Malawi Police Service, has arrested a Mzuzu-based agro-dealer for allegedly selling illegal and potentially dangerous pesticide products, raising serious concerns over public safety and agricultural standards in the country. The suspect,Eliud Munthali, proprietor ofAgri Chilipa Tradersin Nkholongo, Mzuzu, was arrested following investigations conducted by PCB inspectors and the police. According to the investigations, Munthali was allegedly found sellingSkana Super (Malathion + Permethrin)bearing a forged product label withBatch Number SKMLW 0209.

He is also accused of illegally decantingDithane (Mancozeb)from its original packaging into unlabelled containers for resale to unsuspecting farmers. PCB Communications and Civic Education OfficerPatrick Ndawaladescribed the findings as alarming and a direct threat to public health and pesticide safety standards. “Our investigations established that the Skana Super product being sold carried a forged label.

PCB records show that the batch number in question expired in 2011 and remains under quarantine at the Smallholder Farmers Fertilizer Revolving Fund of Malawi (SFFRFM) depot in Luwinga as an obsolete government pesticide awaiting disposal. Such a product is unsafe for use and should never find its way onto the market,” said Ndawala. The discovery has raised questions about how obsolete pesticides earmarked for disposal may have resurfaced in commercial circulation more than a decade after their expiry date.

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Experts warn that expired pesticides can lose effectiveness, damage crops, contaminate the environment and expose users to serious health risks. PCB further says the practice of repackaging Mancozeb into unlabelled containers is equally dangerous because farmers are denied critical information regarding safe handling, application rates, protective equipment requirements, storage conditions and emergency measures in case of accidental exposure. “Labels are not just stickers; they are safety guides.

When pesticides are sold without labels, farmers are effectively using chemicals without knowing the associated risks or proper usage instructions,” Ndawala explained. The Board says it is treating the matter with utmost seriousness because the alleged offences undermine pesticide regulatory systems designed to protect farmers, consumers, livestock and the environment. “This conduct endangers public health, compromises pesticide safety standards and violates Malawi’s pesticides laws and regulations.

PCB will continue working with law enforcement agencies to ensure that anyone involved in the illegal trade of pesticides is brought to justice,” he added. Meanwhile, the Malawi Police Service has confirmed the arrest and says investigations are continuing to establish whether other individuals may be involved in the suspected illegal pesticide distribution network. Police have since warned agro-dealers against engaging in the sale, repackaging or distribution of unregistered, expired or counterfeit agricultural chemicals, stressing that offenders risk prosecution under the country’s laws. The arrest comes at a time when authorities are intensifying efforts to crack down on counterfeit and illegal agricultural inputs, which continue to threaten food security, farmer livelihoods and public safety across Malawi.

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