Fortified rice: Surveyors find that consumers fear traces of 'plastic rice'

Some beneficiaries complain of abdominal discomfort, gastritis, diarrhoea and nausea after eating fortified rice

This report has been updated to include a clarification given by the Union government.

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Even as the Centre plans to distribute iron-fortified rice across the Public Distribution System (PDS) by March 2024, a fact-finding team of civil society activists has found there is a perception on the ground, and fear, that ‘plastic-rice’ has been mixed with normal rice in the name of fortification. In some cases, beneficiaries have also complained of abdominal discomfort, gastritis, diarrhoea and nausea after eating fortified rice.

The fact-finding team also found serious lacunas and flaws in the manner in which the programme was being implemented