PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI – Since Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s September announcement that he was ending subsidies for fuel, violent protests and an uptick in gang violence has ravaged the country. This is an escalation of the violence, kidnappings, and theft of food, fuel, and other goods that have been a part of everyday life here since last year’s assassination of Haitian President Moise. U.S. rice exports have been, taken by gangs directly off ships, off trucks after discharging at port, and even taken from humanitarian warehouses.
While exports have generally continued throughout this tumultuous period, the recent uprising in Haiti has led to a more dangerous situation for exporters and vessel operators resulting in ceased shipments here for the month of September and so far in October. In addition to the physical threat to exports headed to Haiti, importers have struggled with rising costs due to inflation and difficulty in obtaining U.S. currency because of instability in Haitian currency markets.
“U.S. rice in Haiti is looked upon with high regard,” said Bobby Hanks, a rice miller and frequent exporter to Haiti. “When the rice is stolen, it’s used to feed the families of gang members and it’s also used almost like a currency and resold on the Haitian black market. Right now, with the ports essentially inaccessible, shipping lines are not willing to take the risk to dock and discharge, meanwhile the people of Haiti are running out of food and approaching a humanitarian crisis.”
After much prompting by the U.S. rice industry, along with other private sector partners and Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), the U.S. State Department is communicating with the Haitian government, the Organization of American States (OAS), and the United Nations to coordinate assistance.
Last week, Prime Minister Henry called on the OAS and the United Nations to help quell the impending humanitarian crisis. Likewise, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres
called for humanitarian assistance for Haiti, help securing the ports, and a renewal of the diplomatic process.
“It’s preventing our children from going to school, it’s preventing the sick from having access to health care, it’s preventing people from accessing potable water, and even blocking roads and keeping food from being transported in the country,” said Prime Minister Henry, referring to the impact of the hostile presence of the gangs.
In an
op-ed published in
The Hill, Senator Cassidy said, “This will affect the United States. Poor Haitians will flee the island in search of food. This will happen more quickly if Louisiana rice stops arriving. We will see them arrive, not in the tens of thousands but in the hundreds of thousands, at our overwhelmed borders.”
Hanks added: “We want to thank Senator Cassidy for helping us engage the U.S. government and the other international bodies involved in coming together to support the people of Haiti during this difficult time. We are hopeful that with the help of foreign troops to secure critical infrastructure in Haiti that the country can take steps toward a swift recovery.”
Haiti is the top market for milled long grain rice from the U.S., exporting roughly 40,000 metric tons per month.