Some 20 containers of rice shipped to Panama under a Government to Government arrangement with Guyana have reportedly been refused.
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 reported 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 than what currently prevails on the international market.
Some 50,000 tonnes of rice were shipped to the Panamanian market for the year 2018 thus far.
GRDB Managing Director, Nizam Hassan was quoted in other sections of the media saying that he is currently looking into the issue as it is unclear what actually transpired.
However, GRBD came in for harsh criticisms by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Alesie Group of Companies, Turhane Doerga, who questioned how such a shipment was sent to Guyana’s most lucrative market without inspections.
This rejection by Panama will reportedly weigh heavily on the rice industry.
The lucrative rice deal was brokered under the previous Administration in 2014.
