228 tons of wheat rotted at Ahaura port due to dispute over cleaning

Long-term storage led to rotting of the grain, which made it unsuitable even for animal feed

October 25, 2024, 10:30 p.m

Last updated: October 25, 2024, 10:31 p.m

A cargo truck arrives at the land port of Ahaura. File photo: TBS

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A cargo truck arrives at the land port of Ahaura. File photo: TBS

• Wheat imports cost about $325-$350 per ton
• The importer claims a loss of at least Tk 80 lakh
• Heavy rains in India caused the wheat to get wet during transport
• Porters must destroy damaged wheat to make room for storage

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A total of 228 tonnes of wheat imported from India has rotted in warehouses at the Ahaura land port in the past two years, according to the importing company and port officials.

Long-term storage led to rotting of the grain, which made it unsuitable even for animal feed.

The importer, Alam Traders, claims that bureaucratic delays led to losses, resulting in a financial loss of at least Tk 80 lakh.

However, port officials denied the claim, saying the company had not shown interest in clearing the goods despite repeated requests.

Chattogram-based Alam Traders has imported around 11,500 tonnes of wheat from India in 2022 at around $350 per tonne under the duty-free regime. The company said each shipment underwent instant cleaning upon arrival.

However, heavy rainfall in India has severely disrupted transport networks, causing wheat imports to stop. Subsequently, starting in August, shipments of previously detained wheat began to arrive at the port again.

According to Alam Traders, the Indian exporter shipped approximately 228 tonnes of wheat that was soaked by rain during transport along with good quality wheat.

The importer first cleared the good wheat and then tried to release the damaged batch. However, customs authorities have reportedly suspended the release

“Since the wheat was wet, we agreed with the exporter on the price and registration. But the customs constantly delayed the clearance, so the wheat could not be released on time. Now the wheat is no longer suitable for use. , not even as animal feed,” said Dr Akhtar Hossain, representative of Alam Traders at Ahaura Land Port.

According to the company, long-term storage in the warehouse led to pest infestation and rotting of the wheat, which led to the appearance of an unpleasant smell.

By the time the port asked the importers to clear the goods, about two months after the grain arrived at the port, it had already started rotting because it was initially wet.

Dr Imran Hossain, Assistant Commissioner of Ahaura Customs Station, rejected the company’s claim of bureaucratic delays.

“It is not true that the cause of wheat spoilage was bureaucratic red tape. The wheat was wet and of poor quality, so it was not cleared at that time. Although we informed the importer after analyzing the goods, the company showed no interest in processing the cargo,” he said.

Imran added that samples had been sent for testing to determine whether the wheat could be used as animal feed, but initial results were inconclusive. Now port officials are preparing to destroy the damaged wheat.

“We await the final report and when it arrives, the wheat will be officially removed and destroyed,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, the situation has put the land port management in a difficult position as rotten wheat takes up valuable storage space.

Dr. Mahmudul Hasan, Assistant Director of Ahaura Land Port, confirmed the status of wheat.

“All wheat is infected with pests and emits an unpleasant smell. The importer is no longer interested in clearing the goods, which prevents us from releasing the warehouse. This situation also causes losses to the port administration,” he said.