Nature Rice and the $700 Million Corruption in Raisi’s Government
Nature Rice received $700 million in preferential currency and 700 billion tomans as a subsidy for purchasing machinery and equipment with the coordination of the Ministry of Agriculture in Raisi’s government.
With the coordination of the Ministry of Agriculture and a planned scenario, Nature Rice caused a 30,000 toman drop in rice prices at the time of purchase from farmers, buying rice at a lower price. A month later, with a confidential order from the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade and Agriculture, chain stores were instructed to buy rice from Nature Rice at a higher price.
Ayoub Paydari, the owner of the Nature Rice brand, received a permit for the import of 200,000 tons of rice with government currency through a fictitious transaction of 100,000 tons of rice at 30,000 tomans below the market price from Raisi’s government. This $700 million rice corruption occurred, which is only a small part of this corruption. Additionally, 700 billion tomans were received for importing equipment and machinery, of which only 140 billion was spent, and the rest went into the pockets of Nature Rice.
The goal of Nature Rice, which is a supporter of Raisi’s government, is to damage other real private sector rice brands.