Govt scans media reports that India
sells rotten grains to Bangladesh
Shakhawat Hossain, New Age 7Aug10
India is reportedly tying to sell to Bangladesh and Nepal rotten rice the quality of which is not fit for human consumption.
The report released by India television, CNN-IBN, on August 4 said that rotten grains were being sold to the poor through official ration shops in the Indian state of Bihar and the same grains have also been sold to Bangladesh and Nepal.
`The quality of the grain is unfit even as cattle feed,' the report said.
The report has already raised concern among the food ministry officials as Dhaka is on the final stage to strike deals with New Delhi to import 3,00,000 tonnes of rice and 2,00,000 tonnes of wheat.
The food ministry is scanning the report, said its officials, adding that Bangladesh had taken initiatives to bolster its buffer stocks which fell to 5,85,000 tonnes from about 10,15,000 tonnes last January.
Besides, the government is scheduled to start open market sales of rice to make it available for low-income groups at an affordable price during the Ramadan beginning next week.
Food minister Abdur Razzaque on Wednesday said that there was no possibility of procuring rotten rice which India is reportedly trying to sell to Bangladesh and Nepal.
When his attention was drawn to the Indian media report, Razzaque said, `We will import rice from India with hard cash and there is no reason for compromising with the quality.'
A couple of days ago, the government approved purchase of 1,80,000 tonnes of rice, mainly from Vietnam. The Vietnamese rice would be non-boiled which is usually consumed in Chittagong and Sylhet regions.
The country largely depends on India for widely-consumed boiled rice when required.
The food minister said negotiation with India for purchase of rice is at a final stage and both the sides are now fixing the qualities and prices of the rice.
`The food ministry would not compromise with quality as it would be purchased with foreign currency,' the minister added. According to CNN-IBN, Indian food ministry was compelled to distribute the food grains because of price hike of rice there.
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