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The government has said it will assess all rice imports to ensure only grain that meets acceptable standards is allowed into the country.

However, the Kenya National Bureau of Standards (Kebs) has said there is no indication that bad rice has entered the country.

Further, Kebs said it will continue laboratory scrutiny of all impending imports.

“No import will be allowed into the country unless it complies with the requirements of relevant Kenyan standards,” Kebs said in a statement on Tuesday.

Kebs was reacting to reports that Thailand is preparing to export 10-year-old grain to Africa.

“We have therefore alerted our appointed inspection agent in Thailand (SGS) of the impending government rice auction and instructed them to be on the lookout and subject all rice destined to Kenya from Thailand to mandatory inspection and testing,” Kebs said.

Last month, African diplomats raised concerns with Bangkok after Thai authorities announced a planned auction of rice that had been stored for 10 years ostensibly to recoup storage costs.

According to local officials, Thailand plans to auction this week some 15,000 tons of rice and export it to Africa, targeting up to $7.4 million in revenues from sales. 

The grain is a remnant of a failed rice pledging programme by then Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra who encouraged farmers to grow more grain and supply it to the government at a predetermined price.

The scheme failed after Thai rice became uncompetitive and authorities estimated to have lost up to $13 billion in a scandal that forced Yingluck to flee the country and change nationality.

The officials did not indicate which countries the grain was headed to. However, several African countries, including Kenya, consume some of its white rice.

Source : nation.africa