Growing concerns and fears are emerging in Africa’s most populous country over the possibility of Thailand’s 10-year-old stored rice finding its way into the Nigerian and African markets as Thai’s government announces plans to sell it to the public.
Thailand plans to auction the 150,000 sacks of rice that have been kept in warehouses for 10 years, expecting to earn between 200 to 400 million baht (US$ 5.4 and 10.8 million), a move that its citizens and food safety experts have heavily criticized.
Since the announcement by the Thai authorities, Nigerians have taken to social media to voice their concern on the potentially adverse impacts the rice may have on people’s health if it eventually finds its way to Africa and Nigeria in particular where food safety and regulation checks are not taken seriously.
10 years old, is the nutrient still there? asked @NwaOnyekuzi in an X tweet. While @Kdenkss in a tweet, “This is embarrassing, and I am sure some of the rice will end up in Nigeria.” Also, Labaeka with X handle @labeakai said in a tweet, "As usual, Africa sits perfectly as the dumping ground.”
African countries have become a major destination for Thai rice as purchasing volume continues to surge substantially, the Thai Rice Exporter Association said on its website.
In the 2023-2024 season, Thailand was the second largest rice exporter globally with 8.2 million metric tons, according to data from Statista.
Africa’s top 10 rice importers from Thailand in 2023 are South Africa, Senegal, Cameroon, Mozambique, and Côte d’Ivoire, combined, they imported 2.48 million tons within the period, the data shows.
Followed by Zimbabwe with 55,691 tons, Algeria with 76,747 tons, Angola with 135,909 tons, Benin with 139,206 tons, and Togo. While Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, may not be on the list owing to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s previous policy of foreign exchange restriction for rice importers to boost local production, most of the imports recorded by Benin and Togo find their way into the Nigerian markets via smuggling through the land borders.
James Marsh, a food safety expert and executive director of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) said the 10-year-old rice will contain zero nutrients as most of it must have been completely wiped out.
Source: Business Day
