Philippines: NFA Awards Import Contracts

The Philippines National Food Authority (NFA) has awarded import rights to 13 traders for an initial volume of 255,348 MT of rice, less than half of the amount approved for private sector purchases this year.

Although no details of the price or origin of the rice were released, Gilbert Lauengco, special assistant to the NFA administrator, told reporters the rest of the bids submitted at an auction on March 23 were still being evaluated.

Manila is looking to import 860,000 MT of rice this year, including 200,000 MT the state-run NFA has agreed to purchase from Vietnam in a government deal while private traders have been allocated 600,000 MT of imports this year, and bids for 693,748 MT were submitted last month.