Understanding your result
Three possible answers, and what each one means you should do next.
Every check comes back as one of three answers, in plain language, with the reason.
Safe
Safe
Nothing in this product looks like a problem for the European market.
What to do: go ahead and buy it. Record the spray when you apply it, and follow the waiting period on the label before you harvest.
“Safe” means safe as far as the ingredients we could read. If part of the label was unreadable, you will be told that too.
Risky
Risky
At least one chemical in this product is likely to get your produce rejected.
What to do: do not buy it for a crop going to Europe. The result lists safer alternatives — different products, sold in Kenya, that work on the same pest and the same crop but are accepted in Europe. Show that list to the person behind the counter.
Do not send that produce for export without talking to your exporter and, if you can, getting a laboratory test. Sending it and hoping is the expensive option: a rejected consignment costs far more than the crop, and it damages your exporter's relationship with their buyer.
Unclear
Unclear
Not enough of the label could be read to give you an honest answer.
What to do: try again. In order of what usually works:
- Take a better photo — closer, flatter, out of direct sun, focused on the ingredients text.
- Type the ingredients by hand from the label. This nearly always works.
- Ask your exporter or an agronomist if you still cannot get an answer.
Treat “unclear” as “not yet checked”. It is deliberately not a yes.
Why a legal product can still be blocked
This is the part that surprises people most, so it is worth understanding once.
Europe keeps a list of chemicals that are approved for use on food. When a chemical is not on that list, there is no “safe amount” agreed for it. Instead, the rule becomes: if the laboratory can detect it at all, the consignment fails.
That is a much harder line than most people expect. It is not “keep it below a limit”. It is “there must be none”. Spray drift from a neighbour, a poorly rinsed tank, or a single application months earlier can be enough.
Kenya and Europe simply have different lists. A product can be registered, legal, on the shelf, and sold to you in good faith — and still be one Europe does not accept.
Reading the reason
Every result tells you which chemical caused it and why. You will see wording like:
| What it says | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Not approved | Europe does not allow this chemical on food. Any detectable trace fails. Avoid it entirely for export crops. |
| Restricted | Allowed, but only in certain conditions — for example only in a greenhouse. Check that your use matches before you rely on it. |
| Approved | Accepted in Europe. Still follow the label rate and the waiting period before harvest. |
| Not known | This chemical is not in the reference list. It has to be checked by a person — ask your exporter or an agronomist. |
Results also link to the European rule they are based on. You will not usually need it, but your exporter or your certifier might.
The alternatives list
A refusal on its own is not useful advice — you still have the pest. So when a product is blocked, SoftFarm suggests chemicals that are accepted in Europe and are used against the same pest on the same crop. If you grow organic, it only suggests options allowed in organic production.
Take the list to your agrovet. They may stock a different brand containing one of those chemicals.
When to get a second opinion
SoftFarm is a strong first check, not the last word. Get a person involved when:
- You get Unclear and cannot resolve it.
- A chemical comes back as not known.
- You are certified organic — confirm with your certifier before using anything new.
- Your buyer has their own rules. Some supermarkets are stricter than the law, and SoftFarm checks the law.