IT’S the season for merrymaking with plenty to eat and drink. As a result, bags of rice are everywhere. Some unscrupulous Nigerians, however, may be cashing in on increase in demand, pushing out consumers products from questionable sources.

Investigation by The Guardian last week revealed that some smart ‘entrepreneurs’ might be helping themselves to grains of rice discarded at Abonema wharf in Rivers State. Having collected these, they head to some secret location where the product is cleaned up and repackaged in branded bags.
About seven youths, all from a section of the country, were sighted in an uncompleted building along Ikwere road in Port Harcourt Local Government Area, busy refilling empty rice bags with the stuff.

Glad that a prospective buyer had come, a man who appeared to be in charge, explained that the boys were merely removing dust from the grains. Upon further interrogation, he modified his position, saying the rice was being transferred to the bags for use as livestock feed. As probing continued, the youths working at the ‘rice company’ disappeared.
Some Port Harcourt residents who commented on the matter, described it as deeply worrying, adding that the harsh economic situation in the country might be pushing some people into making dishonest living. They expressed concern over high price of the commodity, suggesting it might have made some Nigerians opt for doubtful versions of the product. “Things are becoming worse day by day, so why would some Nigerians not compromise standards,” said Mrs. Clarina Michael.
But Mr. Sunny Finebone, a civil servant, with the Ministry of Agriculture, described the action of the ‘rice producers’ as disgusting, saying no matter the economic adversity, it lacks justification. “It is sheer wickedness, and the authorities must nip it in the bud,” he said.
A bag of rice, which used to sell for N9,500-N10,000 now costs N12,000-N14,000. A visit to the Mile One market showed that a cup of rice, formerly N50, now sells for N60-N70.
Rice seller, Mr. Onyekachi Henry, lamented that despite buying the product from distributors at a high price, rise in cost of transportation, occasioned by the ongoing fuel scarcity, continues to hurt business.


www.ngrguardiannews.com/2015/12/be-warned-that-rice-could-be-fake/


cc lalasticlala

naija on point

Typing .....

Noted

They are hustling for Christmas too.

Merry Christmas to them.
Merry Christmas to their victim.
Merry Christmas Nairaland.

OP Tnx for the info.. May God continue to protect us!

Na wa o
Una never see anything.... Go alaba rago and see wonders

Ways to promote locally made rice

Abakaliki/Nzam rice all the way.
No more foreign rice in my house says Popsy.

hmm

I hereby put the blame on the president of the federal republic of Nigeria and not Akon.

No leadership, no quality control, no regulation. Nothing.
Lawlessness and impunity takes over.

ok

End time rice

Well this report should have provided means to spot a fake one before buying!

We know them
we know where they are from
you don't need to say much
desperadoes!!!

is there anything that's genuine in Nigeria atal?
with those useless thieves we have as leaders... anything goes

*hiss

Fake rice u gat 2be kidding me

Cpumping:

About seven youths, all from a section of the country

OK. Let's pretend like we don't know which section.

Normal na, even the original ones, na them dey produce am #sideeyes

Some of the most wicked souls in the world Are in Nigeria. They can do anything to make money

.

Yoruba media at it again...to discourage you from buying rice produced in Biazfraland...Rivers, Anambra and Almighty Ebonyi rice. The subtle message is...buy foreign rice. I know people have varying critical thinking skills. Whenever you read an article, ask yourself...where is the writer going with this? What's the goal? To scare people from eating homegrown biazfraland rice.

This will not stop me from buying Anambra homegrown Rice tomorrow.

wen they wr sighted, y nt alert d authorities closest 2 u. y com NL. fake rice + fake news

truth

Blame it on Dr. Clueless Go Slow Muhammad Buhari

This is indeed worrisome. May God guide n protect us all dis xmas period

One bag of rice was sold for 8k last year with fuel everywhere in Onitsha
Now, one bag is 12k without fuel and light.

in 2019, l guess Nigerians will choose Transformation than selfie President.

Igbobeauties..com.ng

Real2020:
Yoruba media at it again...to discourage you from buying rice produced in Biazfraland...Rivers, Anambra and Almighty Ebonyi rice. The subtle message is...buy foreign rice. I know people have varying critical thinking skills. Whenever you read an article, ask yourself...where is the writer going with this? What's the goal? To scare people from eating homegrown biazfraland rice.

This will not stop me from buying Anambra homegrown Rice tomorrow.

Poor governance means charlatan journalists takes over. A sane society regulates, test, retest, does quality control. All to keep the population safe and bring to justice people who deviate.