Suriname seizes 385 tons of illegally imported rice

Suriname’s Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, Mike Noersalim, has announced strict measures following the seizure of nearly 385 tons of rice imported illegally from Guyana through Nickerie.

Authorities confiscated the shipment after determining that the rice factory B. Ramadhin bypassed mandatory phytosanitary procedures and failed to obtain necessary permits. Minister Noersalim characterized the attempt to secure documentation only after the shipment was discovered as “misleading.”

The Minister emphasized that such smuggling activities pose two major risks: they create unfair competition for local Surinamese rice farmers and threaten national biosecurity by potentially introducing plant diseases. Noersalim warned that violators will face heavy sanctions under existing smuggling decrees, stating, “We will make no compromises.”

In response to the seizure, the entrepreneur has reportedly filed a summary proceeding against the State to attempt to release the confiscated cargo.