Most of the fine rice available in the market in different names did not come from same paddy. These came from coarse paddy. In this way, a class of unscrupulous mill owners is cheating the consumers by cutting thick rice and selling it at a higher price.
To prevent this fraud, the government has taken initiative to determine the source of rice in the market. For this, a survey will be conducted in 21 districts. The list includes Jessore, Jhenaidah, Kushtia, Bogra, Naogaon, Sylhet, Sunamganj, Kishoreganj, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Rangpur, Sherpur, Mymensingh, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Jamalpur, Tangail, Comilla, Noakhali, Rajshahi and Chapaganj.
It is known that there are 4 rice mills in Kushtia in the list.
Through the collection of information from these districts, 13 officials of the Food Planning and Containment Unit (FPMU) have been assigned to diagnose or investigate which varieties of rice of different brands are being made.
An official of the food ministry said that the rice mill owners are marketing coarse rice under the names Miniket, Nazirshail and Kajal lata. As a result, buyers are being deceived by buying the inner part of thick rice at a higher price. Besides, the consumers of the rice are being deprived of the nutrients on the surface of the rice. Experts say that this is having a negative impact on health.
According to the Department of Paddy Research, BADC and Agricultural Extension, 75 per cent of the rice produced in the country is coarse and 15 per cent is thin.
According to experts, BRRi 28 and BRRI 29 paddy are widely cultivated in the country during Boro and Aman seasons. But there is no rice with this name in the rice market. Rice is available in the market under the names Miniket and Nazirshail, but there is no variety of rice under this name. In most cases BRI-28 and in some cases BRI-29 rice is cut and marketed as ‘Miniket’. Similarly, Brie 29 rice is more pruned and polished and given the name ‘Nazirshail’. Many brands of rice are being sold in the market. Rice mill owners are making rice with Auto Rice mill and branding it under their own name.
In this regard, some rice mill owners in Khazanagar and some officials of rice marketing companies said that Kushtia rice mills will be found at the top of such scams all over the country.
Sources said the owners of the rice mills here are openly selling coarse rice under the name of Miniket, Kajal Lata and BRRI-28. The mill owners are getting extra price of 15 to 20 taka per kg by such way. And are getting extra profit by selling the cut part of rice as rice husk.
Abdur Rashid, president of Bangladesh Auto Rice and Major Husking Mill Owners Association and owner of Rashid Agro Foods, has admitted to marketing coarse rice under the names Miniket, Kajal, Bri-28.
He was the first to grind coarse rice in a modern machine called Miniket. Along with paddy and agriculture, various government agencies have also acknowledged this information.
Earlier, a report of the Ministry of Agriculture also said that there is no paddy called Miniket in the country. The mill owners are selling coarse rice in the name of Miniket.
Abdur Rashid, the country’s largest rice trader, said the country’s fine, medium-fine are being marketed under the name of Miniket. As there is no system to check the quality of this rice, different rice mill owners are launching Miniket in the market using different brands.
Although he said that there was a mixture of different varieties of rice in the minikets of other mills, Rashid did not admit the allegation in the case of his own rice.
Deputy Director of Kushtia Agriculture Extension Department said that coarse and medium coarse rice is being sold in the market under the name of Miniket.
A rice warehouse in Kushtia’s market, said, “Everybody wants fine rice.” Most of the rice sold throughout the day is fine rice.
Md. Abul Kashem a professor at the Department of Applied Nutrition and Food Technology of Kushtia Islamic University collected samples of rice from eight popular brands called Miniket and tested them. It has been seen that all brands of rice have been polished by cutting and polishing coarse paddy. The food values are much low of the rice too.
