State speeds checks on contaminated rice

State speeds checks on contaminated rice

39,000 tonnes of grain under scrutiny

A commerce ministry investigation found most of the 39,000 tonnes of glutinous rice from the 2013-14 crop year in a Chai Nat warehouse was contaminated with a mixture of ordinary and rotten rice. (File photo)
A commerce ministry investigation found most of the 39,000 tonnes of glutinous rice from the 2013-14 crop year in a Chai Nat warehouse was contaminated with a mixture of ordinary and rotten rice. (File photo)

The Commerce Ministry is speeding up inspections of glutinous rice stocks in Chai Nat province which were found to be contaminated as it prepares to take legal action against those responsible.

Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraporn said authorities were inspecting 39,000 tonnes of glutinous rice at a private warehouse in the central province following a complaint by Sing Tak Group, a rice buyer.

During the hand-over, the grains were found to be contaminated with white rice and rotten grains, prompting a thorough inspection of the entire stock at the warehouse owned by Supreme Rice Agency Co.

About 201,266 rice sacks have been sorted and 178,185 sacks were contaminated, she said, adding the rice was from the 2013/2014 crop season.

Ms Apiradi said the Public Warehouse Organisation (PWO) has been working with Sing Tak to sort the remaining rice by the end of this month.

The company, which has lodged a petition with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, has agreed to accept the good grains, while contaminated rice will be sent to a warehouse in Suphan Buri, she said.

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Meanwhile, military spokesman Winthai Suvaree on Sunday countered a Pheu Thai politician's claim that there were no "losses" in the rice-pledging scheme while insisting that alleged irregularities would be proved in court.

The spokesman was responding to a Facebook post by former Pheu Thai MP Chinanwat Haboonpad who defended the Yingluck administration's rice-pledging scheme.

According to the Pheu Thai politician, the rice-pledging scheme was initiated to help farmers whose productivity contributed to the country's economy and no "losses" could be incurred because not all state projects were for profit.

Col Winthai said that "losses" in the rice-pledging scheme were not about money paid to the rice farmers, but were unanticipated costs.

"These costs included storage and maintenance [of stockpiles] and leaks through fraudulent practices. They involved large sums of money and could be bigger than the sums paid to the farmers," he said.

He said he believes the public does not question the merit of the subsidy programme for rice farmers, but they want to make sure no one exploits it for personal gain.

He said alleged irregularities in the rice subsidy scheme were raised before the National Council for Peace and Order staged the May, 2014 coup.

"The alleged irregularities are evident, not based on feelings or prejudice. It is not played up to arouse public sentiment or discredit others."

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