MANILA – The Philippines will import 5 million sacks of rice from Thailand and Vietnam.
The rebidding for the importation of 250,000 metric tons of rice ended Friday. The bid prices of Thailand and Vietnam were lower than the reference price of the NFA.
The government will spend P6.7 billion for the 5 million sacks of rice. Initial delivery is expected at the end of May.
But it should be noted that the National Food Authority’s reference prices increased by more than $45 per metric ton.
According to the president of the Central Luzon Farmers’ Cooperative, the bid prices were too high and the importation should have been done last year.
“Kapag alam ng supplier na kailangang-kailangan natin meron silang karapatan at prerogative nila na itaas iyong presyo ng gusto nila,” said Simeon Sioson.
NFA spokesperson Rex Estoperez said the agency had wanted to import rice in the last quarter of 2017 but the NFA Council did not approve it.
The government could have saved billions of pesos because the price then was much lower, he said.
“Iyon iyong sinasabi nating complexity of NFA operation. [The] decision should always be on time,” Estoperez said.
The NFA wanted to open the government-to-government mode of procurement to other countries like India, Pakistan and Myanmar to have more options and a healthier competition among bidders.
But this request was still pending with the Department of Foreign Affairs, said NFA Deputy Administrator Judy Carol Dansal.
The agency is set to import another 5 million sacks of rice for its 15-day buffer stock. President Rodrigo Duterte wants to increase the stock to last 60 days. (UNTV News)
