Philippine government to import 300,000 MT of rice

The Philippine government is set to import some 300,000 metric tons (MT) of rice to boost the buffer during the lean months, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Monday.

According to the DA, the Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC) has officially opened a government-to-government rice importation from neighboring countries.

"The PITC has already sent communications to Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, India, and Cambodia," it said in a statement.

The government previously removed the importation capacity of the National Food Authority (NFA) under the Rice Tariffication Law enacted by President Rodrigo Duterte in February 2019.

Effective March 2019, the Philippines allowed the unlimited importation of rice -- through the private sector -- as long as traders secure a phytosanitary permit from the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) and pay the 35% tariff for shipments from neighbors in Southeast Asia.

The DA earlier this month said some 729,000 metric tons of rice have entered the country as of end-April, the bulk of which came from Vietnam.

In the same statement, the DA said Vietnam has resumed its rice export policy, assuring the Philippines of the delivery of 400,000 MT of rice contracted in April.

"I hope the new decision by our Prime Minister will contribute to the joint efforts by ASEAN Member States in maintaining adequate food supply to ASEAN Community to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthen ASEAN's internal unity," Vietnam Industry and Trade Minister Tran Tuan Anh was quoted as saying in a letter to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III. --Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/KBK, GMA News