By Lilybeth G. Ison
The Philippines will import some 187,000 metric tons (MT) of rice this year for buffer stock during the lean months.
Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala Thursday said the National Food Authority Council, following a meeting last week, has allowed the grains agency to import some 187,000 MT of rice to be purchased through a government-to-government deal.
Alcala, on the sidelines of the Mag-AGRI Tayo! Forum in Quezon City, said the NFA would start the bidding this month for the grain requirement.
"The latest date for the bidding would be April. The rice should be arriving before June 30, in time for the lean season," he said.
The lean season runs from June to August.
At present, only two countries -- Vietnam and Thailand -- have existing rice purchase agreements with Manila.
Alcala said the total volume of rice to be imported by the NFA already covers the omnibus minimum access volume (MAV) for rice under the World Trade Organization.
"The volume that we are now importing will be within the MAV, which in turn will limit the volume of rice arriving to the country. The remainder of the minimum access volume to be allowed to enter the country is only the in-quota volume," he said.
Under the WTO agreement, the Philippines has committed to a minimum access volume of about 350,000 MT for rice, with tariff rate of 50 percent.
MAV refers to the minimum volume of farm produce allowed to enter into the Philippines at reduced tariffs, while shipments outside MAV pay higher rates.
The country has reduced imports by more than half this year as lean months become shorter as a result of the early cropping scheme being implemented by the DA-National Rice Program.
"Because of our early cropping scheme, we were able to break tradition so we can now expect harvest by June. In other words, we have shortened our lean months. So we may no longer need to import that much this year," said Alcala.
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