The Philippine agriculture chief on Tuesday said the country will find new ways to ensure foreign rice supply shortly after the government failed to attract bidders for a scheduled tender for 675,000 metric tons of rice.
The government had authorized "alternative modes of procurement" to secure official supply of the staple food from abroad, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap told reporters.
He said the Philippine government could negotiate directly with a foreign rice supplier instead of relying on an open tender.
The National Food Authority (NFA), the government's rice importing arm which dominates the country's rice trade, planned to buy 675,000 metric tons of foreign rice in an early May tender.
But as the solo bidder, Vietnam's state-owned Vina food II, had been rejected for lack of required documents, NFA on Monday declared failure of the tender.
The Philippines, the world's largest rice importer for the year, has secured almost 1.7 tons from Thailand and Vietnam in previous four tenders in the past five months.
Last week Yap said the Philippines had bought enough for the year and the rest bidding amount, including the 675,000 metric tons set for May tender, was meant to boost buffer stocks.
Source:Xinhua
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