PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) – A recent study conducted by the University of Michigan revealed that U.S. rice exports to Haiti, which make up the majority of the country’s rice supply, contain high levels of arsenic and cadmium. These heavy metals are known to increase the risk of cancer and heart disease.
Haiti is one of the top buyers of U.S. rice, along with Mexico and Japan, due to the affordability of cheap imports compared to local rice options in the impoverished Caribbean nation.
The study found that imported rice had nearly twice the average concentrations of arsenic and cadmium compared to Haitian-grown rice, with some samples exceeding international limits.
Almost all imported rice samples exceeded the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recommended levels for children’s consumption. However, the study did not examine toxin levels in rice imported by other countries.
Both the U.S. FDA and State Department have not yet provided a response to inquiries about the study’s findings.
The dominance of imported rice in Haiti was attributed to lower import tariffs and long-term contracts signed during political instability in the late 1980s and 1990s. Currently, Haiti imports close to 90% of its rice, mostly from the U.S.
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, who advocated for subsidies of U.S. rice to Haiti, later admitted that this decision had negatively impacted local rice production capacity.
The study highlighted the relatively lenient limits set by the U.S. for arsenic and cadmium concentrations, which can seep into food and water from human and natural sources. Rice, in particular, is susceptible to absorbing these metals.
According to the report, Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas are the top exporting states of rice to Haiti.
In 2020, researchers discovered that the average Haitian consumes 85 kg (187 lb) of rice per year, significantly higher than the 12 kg consumed by individuals in the U.S. This places young Haitians at a higher risk of developing health issues related to these toxins.
“The influx of U.S. rice into Haiti not only negatively affects Haitian farmers who struggle to sell their local rice, but also poses a health risk to Haitian consumers in the long term,” the report stated.
The report called for an ethical investigation into U.S. rice exporters, actions to bolster Haiti’s agriculture sector, and emphasized the urgent need to enhance the country’s food safety regulations.
Additionally, the ongoing violent conflict involving heavily armed gangs in Haiti has extended to farmlands, leading to further increases in food prices. The United Nations estimates that over 300,000 people have been displaced, with 40% of the population experiencing food insecurity.
(Reporting by Harold Isaac and Sarah Morland; Editing by Sandra Maler)
