Some 20 containers of rice shipped to Panama under a Government to Government arrangement with Guyana have reportedly been rejected.
According to reports, the containers of what was expected to be packaged white rice were rejected over the last six weeks as a result of substandard quality.
It is being understood that the Panamanian authorities are complaining that the samples sent were not in keeping with the contractual agreement with Guyana.
That agreement saw Guyana through the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) packaging quality rice for better than normal prices which is reportedly some 30 percent more.
Some 50,000 tonnes of rice was shipped to the Panamanian market for the year 2018 thus far.
GRDB Managing Director, Nizam Hassan is being reported as claiming to be currently looking into the issue as it is unclear what actually transpired.
However, GRBD came in for some harsh criticism by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Alesie Group of Companies, Turhane Doerga who questioned rationale for shipping the rice to Guyana’s most lucrative market without an inspection being done.
This rejection by Panama will have an heavy impact on the rice industry.
