The rice stocks of Lanka Sathosa were deemed unfit for human consumption and therefore Cabinet approval was granted to sell the stocks as livestock feed.

However, an attempt is underway to re-direct the stocks to rice markets, misusing the cabinet approval.

The majority of those who had come forward to purchase the rejected rice stocks are rice mill owners. It is said that there is a risk of them re-polishing the stocks and selling them as rice after obtaining them as animal feed ingredients.

Fifteen individuals have come forward to purchase these rejected rice stocks and they are said to be friends of Riyaj Bathiudeen, who is the brother of commerce minister Rishard Bathiudeen.

These rice mill owners possess licences to purchase livestock feed and they have been engaged in this racket for some time, internal sources from 'Sathosa' say,

These doubts are further strengthened by the fact that the stocks were refused to Gold Coin Holdings and Prima, which are the leading companies in Sri Lanka that manufactures animal feed.

However, it is said that these stocks are even unfit for animal feed after being sprayed with pesticide twice a month, for about an year.