Government, industry and farmers must work together to ensure that people, animals and the economy are protected from the high risks associated with illegal products.
Counterfeits account for an estimated 2.5 per cent of total global trade value. Between 2008 and 2013, estimated sales of counterfeit products rose by 80 per cent.
According to a report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the European Union Intellectual Property Office, the trade in counterfeit goods reached US$461 billion in 2013.
A further report by Frontier Economics, commissioned by the International Trademark Association, predicts the total annual cost of counterfeiting and digital piracy at between US$923 billion to US$1.13 trillion. If trends continue, this could double by 2022.
Criminals are producing crop protection products, animal medicines and even human pharmaceuticals, as well as counterfeit
electronics, toys, shampoos, toothpaste and luxury goods.
Decanted herbicides in unlabelled containers, foreign animal health and crop protection products not registered for sale in New Zealand, deregistered chemicals and dog flea treatments with incorrect label instructions – these are some of the products Agcarm has found for sale on online auction sites like Amazon and Trade Me.
Agcarm works with Trade Me to remove illegal crop and animal products and seeks to form an alliance with Amazon.
But more needs to be done. An industry-government task force, to identify illegal products and prosecute known offenders, would be a step in the right direction.
The risks to the health of people and animals are very high, especially if food is treated with illegal veterinary medicines or
pesticides.
They can also lead to less effective control of diseases and risks of increasing resistance. To avoid these repercussions, consumers of crop protection and animal medicine products should only buy from reputable manufacturers and suppliers and choose only authentic products.
The government, industry and farmers must work in tandem to ensure that no illegal pesticides or animal medicines enter the country.