16 firms keen on supplying rice to PHL

A total of 16 firms bought bid documents on importing 250,000 metric tons (MT) of rice, in line with the government’s efforts to boost the country’s supply of the commodity.

In a pre-bid conference in Quezon City on Tuesday, the National Food Authority (NFA) reported that the firms are from Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

Those from Thailand include Asia Golden Rice Co. Ltd., Capital Cereals Co. Ltd., Ponglard Co. Ltd., Thai Capital Corps Co. Ltd., and Thai Hua Co. Ltd.

Those from Vietnam are Gia International Corp., Gentraco Corp., Hiep Loi Joint Stock Co., Khiem Than Ltd., Phan Minh Investment Production Trading Services, Vietnam Nothern Food Corp. (VinaFood I), and Vietnam Southern Food Corp. (VinaFood II).
And those from the Philippines are Paritas Trading Corp., Singapore-headquartered Olam International Ltd. and Maxwill (Asia) Ptr. Ltd., and Dubai-headquartered Phoenix International Ltd.

Under the terms of reference released by the NFA on Tuesday, the rice importations will be in two shipments.

The first batch of 200,000 MT of 25 percent brokens is required to arrive in the Philippines not later than July 31, 2018. The 25 percent brokens is a rice category, of which 25 percent has been broken into two or more pieces during the milling process

The second batch of 50,000 MT of 15-percent brokens is required to arrive not later than Aug. 31, 2018.

The terms specified that the rice must have been harvested on or after November 2017, and must be freshly milled within four months before loading and shipping to the Philippines.  —VDS, GMA News