It is a fact established by the Hot Pepper investigation that there is no rice shortage on the Liberian market, as all major warehouses of rice, including those of United Commodities Incorporated (UCI), Supplying West Africa Trader (SWAT), Fouta Corporation, etc., are all locked-and-loaded with the commodity. However, what is being observed is a conspiracy by the rice importers to hoard the commodity for their selfish aim, with the help of officials of government who are supposed to protect the interest of the ordinary people.
A few weeks ago, importers of rice began to strangulate the Liberian people with the staple, claiming additional tariffs were placed on the commodity at the global level and a huge downturn of the commodity’s supply due to the ravaging COVID-19. It was said that they called the attention of the Ministry of Commerce and other relevant stakeholders of government to the matter, but could not find a common ground and, therefore, drastically reduced the sale of the commodity.
On September 4, 2021, the Minister of Commerce, Mawine G. Diggs, informed the public that there was no shortage of rice on the local market, and that the government would work with the importers to resolve the situation. At the time, she claimed that the wholesale price of a 25kg bag of rice was US$13, while the retail price was US$13.50.
It has been almost two weeks now since Minister Diggs commented on the matter, but unfortunately things are only getting worse, with the wholesale price escalating to US$13.50 and retail price left to the description of the local dealers.
While visiting some warehouses along the Bushord Island, the Hot Pepper observed that people were in queues to obtain the commodity, with the importers selling fifteen (15) bags, maximum, to an individual and a condition attached: five (5) out of the fifteen (15) “fenfen” at US$13.5 per bag. This, according to information, is the strategy being settled for by all the importers, creating an atmosphere where local dealers will have to be in queues everyday to supply their various communities.
As a result, these local rice dealers will have to attached all the transportation fare incurred while obtaining the rice, in addition to what they are suppose to get as profit, thereby selling the rice at their own description.
Apparently, there are lots of things that both the rice importers and the government are not telling the public, for which the importers are refusing to release the commodity but, at the same time, the government cannot do anything about it.
Information accessed by the Hot Pepper suggests that the APM Terminals’ vessel berthing schedule recorded shipments of rice in August, with schedules of more shipment by the end of September. According to the information, a shipment of bagged rice arrived into the country on September 8, 2021 at about 19:20 via the MV Golden Arsenal vessel, and on September 9, 2021 at about 19:12 via the MV OBE NORARES vessel.
With these shipments, and more, entering the country, one is left to guess the real deal between the officials of government and the rice importers, which is stopping both parties from acting in the interest of the Liberian people.
Even though the nation is yet to recover from the scars and the COVID-19 scourge, authorities of government are apparently burying the interest of the country and its people and conniving with wealthy rice importers, majority of whom are foreigners, to steal from the poor masses and inflict harsh economic ramification on their daily lives.
It could have been argued that, because India and other rice-producing countries reduced the production of the commodity due to the plague, importers of rice would be skeptical of giving out all their goods amidst difficulties in re-obtaining the commodity, but this is not the case.
Rumor in the public is that certain officials of government are advising the rice importers to hoard the rice with a claim that the commodity is expected to fall short on the global market, and accumulate more money, but with a certain percentage to these government officials.
When the Hot Pepper visited UCI warehouses for further information, it was referred to the company’s Human Resource (HR) personnel, who was said to be at a meeting at Commerce Ministry. When the paper visited SWAT, authorities there refused to speak to the issue, and only provided documents to prove that they were selling the rice at US$13.00.
However, a survey conducted by the Hot Pepper between September 1—10, 2021 shows that the price of rice has escalated from L$2,400 to L$3,440 in central Monrovia. Sadly, there is not any hope that the price of the commodity would reduce anytime soon, leaving the majority non-working class of the society to wander for their daily survival, as many of them depend on rice as a meal to keep them up.
It appears like the administration of President George M. Weah is fast-forgetting that rice is not only a consumable commodity but also a political one that has the propensity to instigate anger, hate and a rise-up. On the other hand, the administration may be giving reason to the Liberian people to easily retire them at the 2023 general and presidential elections, as there is no tangible reason being observed for the hike in the price of rice.