Vietnam wins bid to supply 500,000-MT rice to NFA

MANILA, Philippines - Vietnam has won the contract to supply the Philippines 500,000 metric tons (MT) of rice to replenish the country’s buffer stock.

National Food Authority (NFA) senior executive assistant Dennis Arpia said state-owned Vietnam Food Association satisfied all the requirements set by the government for the bidding.

NFA spokesperson Rex Estoperez said Vietnam is expected to make an initial delivery of 200,000 MT next month, and the remainder early next year.

Following the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Yolanda to rice lands in the Visayas, the NFA Council approved the importation of 500,000 MT of rice under a government-to government deal to augment the country’s depleted buffer stock.

The imported rice would contribute 14.7 days to the buffer stock based on a daily nationwide consumption of 34,000 MT per day.

The NFA favored government-to-government importation because a private sector led importation entails a longer process.

Damages sustained by the agriculture sector from the onslaught of Typhoon Yolanda has risen to P9.73 billion with the rice subsector incurring the highest damage in terms of value.

The super typhoon that demolished rice lands in Regions 6, 7 and 8 has stomped country’s dream to attain self-sufficiency in the grain by the end of the year.

Demolished by the typhoon were 143, 774 metric tons (MT) of palay planted in 77, 476 hectares, 36, 038 hectares of which may still recover. Production loss was placed at P2.33 billion.

The Agriculture department said flat growth in palay production can be expected this year, sufficient to cover domestic requirements but not enough to maintain a 90-day buffer stock.