Roy McNeil (Jamaica FSPID photo)
Jamaican Authorities have confirmed that the shipment of the Cinderella-branded rice from Guyana last year was indeed infested with insects and unfit for human consumption.
Chief Food Storage Officer Roy McNeil revealed that holes and insects were discovered in the recently detained container which stored the produce for shipment.
Last month, Jamaica’s Food Storage and Prevention of Infestation Division (FSPID) confiscated 70 metric tonnes of Essequibo rice which McNeil, from his documentation, found that it officially entered the country on December 24, 2018.
McNeil also explained that the shipment was held at customs for some weeks before inspectors saw the infestation in January.
“What is interesting about this case is that even though it came with a fumigation certificate, the container was infested with insects so it appears that the fumigation has failed because there were indications that there were holes in the container so the gases may have seeped out,” McNeil said.
The Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) was surprised by the announcement of the seizure last month, saying that the Cinderella-branded rice was shipped out of the country since December. The Board has since launched an investigation into the matter.
The proprietor, Wazir Hussein claimed nothing was wrong with the rice he exported and that his shipment was delivered to the buyers without complaint.
INews understands that Wazir Hussein and Sons Rice Milling Complex in Essequibo Coast, Guyana, was the listed exporter, while the produce was sent to Jamaican Importer Master Mac Enterprises Limited.
