Plastic rice and Nigeria’s regulatory failure

THE social media, for some time now, has been agog with the strange phenomenon of plastic rice, allegedly of Chinese origin. The harbingers of this disturbing news were initially thought to be scaremongers who simply wanted to set panic in the system for mischievous ends. But experts who should know have confirmed that plastic rice production is a realty: it has been established that a mixture of potato starch mixed with resin and steamed with rice flavour yields plastic rice, which is hardly distinguishable physically from real agricultural rice. Shylock traders and businessmen reportedly import this brand of rice to Nigeria and sell it at the prevailing prices of the premium brands in the market, thereby making huge profits. The unscrupulous businessmen do not care a hoot about how plastic rice will respond to metabolism within the human system. But it is not uncommon for rational judgment to be impaired by single-minded profiteering goals.

It is most unsettling that imported plastic rice is on sale in Nigeria in the same way that fake and substandard products like auto spare parts, household items, electronics, clothes  and  pharmaceuticals  often escape the regulatory radar to find a presence in the Nigerian market. Unfortunately, the threshold for risk tolerance in the case of plastic rice is very low because rice is a staple food that is eaten by millions of Nigerians daily.  That plastic rice is being sold in Nigerian markets simply implies complete regulatory failure. It means the trio of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) have been ineffective in preventing the hazardous rice from entering the Nigerian market despite seemingly ample warning.

The recent seizures in Ikeja, Lagos State of 102 bags of suspected plastic rice by the NCS, were made when a consignment being moved from warehouses was intercepted.  And that would appear to be the first proof that Nigerians may indeed be in veritable danger of consumption of plastic rice. While that confiscation by the NCS is commendable, it is difficult to be rest assured that that action alone has stymied the introduction of the fake product to the market or that some of the fake rice had not escaped to the market before the seizures.

The objective of the regulators should have been to stop the plastic rice from being imported into Nigeria. Both SON and NAFDAC have shirked their responsibilities in that regard. However, to prevent Nigerians from consuming the hazardous rice, the relevant agencies of government, religious organisations, schools and the print and electronic media are enjoined to embark on massive education and sensitisation of the public on how to pre-test and certify their rice before consumption. It may also be helpful to encourage, by way of full compensation, citizens who may have inadvertently purchased plastic rice to report this to the health authorities who will be expected to follow up by tracking the source of the fake product and ensure possible apprehension of the sellers.

The  yet to be confirmed report that samples of the suspected plastic rice seized by the NCS in Lagos have been tested by NAFDAC and certified to be wholesome is gratifying. The Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, had claimed on his official twitter handle that there is no plastic rice in Nigeria based on an alleged NAFDAC confirmation. There is a sense of relief that the suspected 102 bags of rice did not test positive for plastic rice. But it is rather presumptuous to conclude, based on this alleged negative test, that there is no plastic ri ce in Nigeria.  Rather than let down the guard, more efforts should be made to stop further importation of the fake grain to Nigeria while unsuspectingNigerians should be prevented from consuming the unwholesome food. The country fingered as the production base of plastic rice should be apprised of this development through diplomatic channels even in the face of seemingly less than concrete evidence. Its official intervention may help to ensure that Nigeria is no longer a destination for the fake product.

Ultimately, a lasting solution lies in official facilitation of production and processing of enough rice locally for the need of Nigerians. In this regard, the collaboration of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Central Bank of Nigeria with some state governments in the rice belts of the country is welcome, and highly commendable. Nonetheless, that effort needs redoubling while more work is required in the areas of accessibility of supply, affordability of prices and, more important, improved processing to meet international standards. That way, importers of plastic rice will lose money and cease to have incentives to continue their dastardly act.  It is unthinkable that citizens of an agrarian society like Nigeria can face the prospect of health issues arising from consumption of imported food that is unwholesome.  That is most unacceptable.