Rice imports start arriving

At least 44,107.5 metric tons of rice imported by the National Food Authority from Vietnam and the United States have arrived in various ports of the country since January 12.

Of the total volume, 19,722.50 MT were unloaded in Manila; 5,800 MT in Cebu International Port; 7,400 MT in Davao; 6,500 MT in Surigao; 6,700 in Cagayan de Oro; and 43,889.05 MT were unloaded at the Subic Free Port as of January 31.

Meanwhile, some 9,850 MT of imported rice from Vietnam are currently being unloaded at the General Santos City and Bacolod ports. Another 19,938.75 MT will arrive in the country not later than February 18.

The volume is part of the 320,000 MT of rice the NFA awarded to suppliers at a tender held last January 6 at the Food Development Center in Taguig.

According to NFA Administrator Gregorio Y. Tan Jr. the volume of rice that the agency imported was the volume recommended by the Inter-agency Committee on Rice and Cereals after a thorough assessment of the country’s production and corresponding supply requirements.

The committee is composed of the NFA, Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAI), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), National Farmers Action Council (NFAC), PAGASA and the Department of Agriculture as chairman. The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) and PhilRice are members-on-call.

Tan said that the government decided to import the staple because of the projected shortfall in local palay production. "Likewise, with the typhoons that hit the country last years and the effects of the El Niño on our crops, importation is being undertaken to fill in the supply gap and effectively maintain buffer stocks for food security," he said.

The NFA’s palay buying price has been increased from P9 to P10 per kilogram starting Dec. 1, 2004, the agency also offers delivery, drying and Cooperative Development incentives equivalent to 50 centavos per kilogram of palay sold by farmer organizations.