Rice Weevil Problem?

[fakename]

I was just about to cook some rice, when I seen that the usual weevil population had exploded, and the bag was just about black with weevils. Well as usual, I just rinsed the weevils out, and cooked up the rice.

Now I am wondering about the price support system for rice. What will happen to the millions of kg of rice that is in storage, and how long will it last without being destroyed by weevils, and other pest. No problem for me to rinse out the rice, but what about export? I dont think other countries will be happy to receive our pest, so what will happen with this contaminated rice? I cant believe that after a year or so of storage, that the bugs will not find this great dinner waiting for them.

,

Does anyone have a professional view about this, or am I just making up problems, while im sitting here being bored?

[cooked]

I myself was wondering about the problems of long term storage. The whole thing is going to end with a very expensive bill for tax payers.

[paulchiangmai]

You would think the big supermarkets would have enough buying power to demand that the mills supply weevle free rice or stop buying from those mills that do nothing about the problem. For some months now I will not buy rice unless it is vacuum packed, twice the price or more but I have yet to see a weevil in it.

[fakename]

Sorry, but I didnt mean the weevils came from an unopened bag, this bag has been opened for a long time, they are our own weevils! hahahha. There are always weevils in the opened bags, but these just seem to have multiplied out of control. So.....was just wondering about the huge amount of rice stored during this new rice scheme. It could turn out to be a disaster for the country, but of course it will be hidden somehow. I dont know how long whole grain rice can be stored, and still be sold at AAA grade. I would think a year is really pushing it.

[Satcommlee]

How will they stop Weevils..pesticides.. great!

[fakename]

Of course they will use pesticides, but then the rice will not get far on the export market, at least it wont go to Europe, USA or Australia, so who will buy it, Africa? Sure, and a very reduced price, or maybe it will be fed to hogs,

[ignis]

Weevils I have seen in bags of sealed cheap brands rice in supermarkets. Very rarely have any in the rice I buy...... Oddly in a shop in the next Village they have open sacks of different rice on the floor, people buy as much as they want, never seen any in them

Last years Floods the FREE rice dished out was full of them..

Lived in Portugal for years, Weevils were in all flour, flour made things and rice. buy a pack of biscuits get them home and open, no biscuits left you just bought a bag of Weevils

[Khonwan]

This doesn’t address your question re. bulk storage of rice but you can prevent weevils in sacks of rice by placing a handful of dried chilies in with the rice – we always do this in our house. If the rice is already crawling with weevils, pour it out on to a clean surface outside (e.g. floor-tiles, tarp) and allow the sun to drive them away.

Rgds

Khonwan

[Satcommlee]

In the film "Empire of the Sun" the British doctor in the internment camp advised people to eat the weevils, they are a good source of protein!

[fakename]

But this situation isnt a movie, and this is not a concentration camp! Maybe to eat weevils is protein, but weevil shit is not protein, and I would guess, not any kind of health food.

[IsaanAussie]

But this situation isnt a movie, and this is not a concentration camp! Maybe to eat weevils is protein, but weevil shit is not protein, and I would guess, not any kind of health food.

Not suggesting that you separate the weevils and their leavings for a moment, but you are incorrect. The sh1t will contain crude protein, so does ours!

[fakename]

Well, I will just eat the rice, thank you. Im sure the shit is a health food, thats probably why dogs like to eat it!

[IsaanAussie]

I'm with you fakename. Nutrient rich or not, manure and urine belong in the compost heap not on a plate.

[OOTAI]

It is not that hard to store grain for long periods and to keep the pests under control.

try searching Google for:

"storage of grain using carbon dioxide" or "storage of grain using phosphine"

I have tried to attach a document I found which some may find interesting.

Training Manual Grain Storage.doc

[fakename]

Thanks for the training manual, now I know a little more, but the more I know, the less happy I am. I know that rice has been grown, harvested, stored and shipped in Thailand forever, but I am still thinking, that now will be much stored than at any other time. With all the flooding, I wonder where they will find all this DRY storage area, since there is no dry place even for people. Not my business at all, but it does look like the government made a big mistake with this price support system.

[jaiyen]

Here in Australia we are getting Thai rice with weevils in the bags. Restaurants are not happy !! Last year our local Asian shops stopped buying brown rice fron China as it was badly infested with insects. Thai rice is on the way out because of price, quality and weevils.