NFA says no more rice imports this yr

The National Food Authority (NFA) has enough rice stocks to cover the third quarter and is not likely to undertake any more importation this year, NFA administrator Arthur T. Yap said yesterday.

"We are already comfortable with our reserve stocks of 80 days, and we have already hurdled the critical first two weeks of July, when the rice supply is lean," Yap, the incoming agriculture secretary said in a press briefing yesterday.

Last week, NFA awarded the importation of 200,000 metric tons (MT) of rice to five companies as the government beefs up its reserve stocks for the third quarter and re-ordered an additional 50,000 MT from the same suppliers.

The 250,000 MT of rice will be supplied by state-trading company Vietnam Southern Foods Corp., Thai Marpan Co. Ltd., Toepfer International, and Daewoo Corp.

The importation forms part of this year’s target rice imports of 1.017 million MT, 92,000 MT higher than last year’s total rice imports of 925,000 MT.

Yap said the NFA is strategically positioning the stocks to facilitate easy dispersal, particularly in areas where several typhoons and weather disturbances have already been occurring.

Among the transhipment points in Luzon are Poro Point in La Union, Subic in Zambales, the Port of Manila, Batangas, and Legazpi in Albay. Transhipment points in the Visayas include Iloilo and Cebu while those in Mindanao are General Santos, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Cotabato and Zamboanga City.

As of mid-June, rice import arrivals reached 401,823 metric tons (MT).