The Movement for Progressive Change (MPC) has strongly descended on the Government of Liberia’s reaction terming its political statement on an imminent shortage of rice on the Liberian market within the coming months as mere lies.
The government in its release issued on August 8, 2023, informed the public that the ban imposed by the Republic of India does not cover the type of rice (parboiled rice) that Liberia imports for local consumption.
“The MPC encourages Information Minister Ledgerhood Rennie who is supposed to be a journalist to purchase for himself a reading spectacle to enable him read clearly and with comprehension other international news outlets reporting on the global rice crisis after the ban by India,” Mr. Freeman said.
According to him, “The Liberian government also lied that the Indian Government’s ban on rice imports only covers basmati rice and not non-basmati.”
Contrary to the government’s statement, the MPC in a counter statement issued Wednesday, August 9, 2023 clarified that the Indian Government banned exporting non-basmati white rice which includes varieties favored including what is being imported to Liberia.
Basmati is a long grain, while the non-basmati rice that was banned by India comes in all different shapes and sizes-long, slender, short, and round. It has a characteristic fragrance and flavor while non-basmati varieties do not have an aroma.
“The MPC wants to let the public know that Liberia and other countries in the world that are beneficiaries of India’s non-basmati rice importations stand to suffer the impact of the shortage. We want to also encourage the Minister and his team to root out politics in serious matters of such and do the needful research by presenting to the public the real truth about the expected rice shortage in Liberia,” He added.
“The MPC however encourages the general public to be on the alert.” the statement concludes.
It may be recalled that the Government of Liberia in a statement issued Tuesday, August 8, dismissed the Movement for Progressive Change Presidential Hopeful, Simeon Freeman’s statement of an imminent rice shortage in Liberia.
The Ministry of Information refuted claims by Freeman that due to the Republic of India’s ban on the importation of rice, Liberia will be affected in the coming months.
“The government wants to make it very clear that there will be no such shortage of rice in the local market and that there’s sufficient rice to supply the market into 2024. The ban imposed by the Republic of India does not cover the type of rice (parboiled rice) that Liberia imports for local consumption. The Indian Government’s ban on rice imports instead covers basmati rice and not parboiled rice,” the Ministry of Information statement read.
