It has emerged that some rogue businessmen have come up with a new way of duping Kenyans into buying common rice by masquerading it as scented basmatti rice.
Emerging details indicate that the group is using perfumes to give common rice an aroma, which is then sold off to Kenyans as either basmatti or Mwea aromatic rice.
However, according to farmers on the ground, the group of businessmen and cereal shop owners have made it a habit to import shiploads of rice from Pakistan and Thailand.
This is done shortly before harvest in Mwea rice fields and packed in stores and released immediately after harvesting in the fields.
According to the Standard, some groups mix the common rice with the two premium types to give them the desired aroma, before selling it off as Basmatti Mwea rice.
“They even use artificial perfumes to scent Pakistani rice. There is an imported variety, which is scented and sold as basmati rice," said Joseph Kinyajui, a worker at the Mwea Rice Mills.
The blending tact was confirmed by Mwea Rice Growers Cooperative Society Chief Executive Officer Joseph Ndungu, who noted that it has been negatively affecting farmers.
"This blending distorts the market and breaks the trust of the consumer who after consuming ‘fake’ pishori feels conned. This has been going on for a long time and it is time the government acts,” he said.
Although the farmers know the identities of the culprits, they can't name them for fear of victimization, given that the trade includes powerful and brutal businessmen.