Rs. 15,150 million loss from rice imports!

Jan 21, 2017

Non-compliance to accepted procedures has caused the government and the CWE to lose Rs. 15,157,031,018 from the importation of rice in 2014 and 2015, an investigation by the auditor general’s department has revealed. On a request made by the COPE on 20 September 2016, the AG prepared a report into the CWE’s rice imports in the two years.

The CWE had spent Rs. 27,010 million to import the rice, but its earning through the sale of the same amounted to only Rs. 11,850 million, it says. The local rice production exceeded consumption in 2012, 2013 and 2015, but rice was imported too, the report has observed.

In 2014 and 2015, the CWE had disregarded the procurement guidelines when making the rice importations. Also, no proper agreement has been reached for these purchases. By November 16 last year, rice containers are being kept unused, without adhering to the due standards, at the port and at private container-yards. The AG’s report concludes that rice has been imported without giving consideration to its impact on the local agriculture, and recommends that the responsible officials be identified.