Fears mount as Thailand’s 10 year old rice set to hit Nigeria

Growing concerns and fears are emerging in Africa’s most populous country over the possibility of Thailand’s 10-year-old stored rice entering the Nigerian and African markets. This comes after the Thai government announced plans to sell it to the public, BusinessDay Nigeria has reported.

Thailand plans to auction 150,000 sacks of rice that have been kept in warehouses for 10 years, expecting to earn between 200 to 400 million baht. The move has been heavily criticised by citizens and food safety experts.

Following the announcement, Nigerians have taken to social media to voice their alarm about the potential health risks if the rice finds its way to Africa, particularly Nigeria, where food safety regulations are notoriously lax.

“Ten years old, is the nutrient still there?

“This is embarrassing, and I am sure some of the rice will end up in Nigeria.

“As usual, Africa sits perfectly as the dumping ground.”

African countries have become major destinations for Thai rice as purchasing volumes continue to surge. According to the Thai Rice Exporter Association, Thailand was the second-largest rice exporter globally in the 2023-2024 season, exporting 8.2 million metric tonnes.

Africa’s top 10 rice importers from Thailand last year included South Africa, Senegal, Cameroon, Mozambique, and Côte d’Ivoire, collectively importing 2.48 million tonnes, according to BusinessDay.

Although Nigeria is not on this list due to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s policy restricting foreign exchange for rice importers to boost local production, much of the rice imported by Benin and Togo is smuggled into Nigerian markets.

Experts’ warning

James Marsh, a food safety expert and executive director of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), warned that the 10 year old rice would likely contain zero nutrients and might harbour harmful toxins and chemicals.

“There are currently zero nutrients in rice stored for 10 years. The most you can store grain, especially rice, should not exceed five years. Unfortunately, it will find its way into Nigeria because of our porous borders.”

Marsh urged the Nigerian government to act immediately to prevent the rice from entering the country, emphasising the need for the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to enforce strict checks.

Shittu Akinyemi, a professor of food science at the Federal University of Agriculture, explained that food safety depends on handling and the chemicals used for preservation, reported Thai PBS World.

He added that grains could be stored for long periods, but ageing rice loses its premium quality.