The rice trade between Vietnam and the Philippines is forecast to remain steady in the near future, according to the Vietnam Trade Office in the Philippines.

The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the preventive suspension of the National Food Authority (NFA) head and 138 other officials and employees for their alleged involvement in a sale of rice buffer stocks, Philippine Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said on March 4.

The Vietnam Northern Food Corporation (Vinafood 1) and the Vietnam Southern Food Corporation (Vinafood 2) will sell 14,000 tonnes and 15,000 tonnes of rice, respectively, to the Philippines.

Vietnam has won a bid to supply 130,000 tonnes of rice to the Philippines after the National Food Authority (NFA)’s auction on importing 250,000 tonnes.

The Philippines is considering an emergency purchase of up to 250,000 tonnes of rice from Vietnam or Thailand to ensure enough rice for domestic consumption during months of bad harvest.

Vietnamese firms have won deals to supply 175,000 tonnes of rice to the Philippines at a tender on July 25, according to the Vietnam Food Association (VFA).

The Philippines, one of the world's top rice buyers, plans to import 250,000 tonnes of the grain next month, in order to increase stockpiles before the lean harvest season and offset potential crop damage during the typhoon season.

The Council of the National Food Authority (NFA) of the Philippines has approved the importation of 805,000 tonnes of Minimum Access Volume (MAV) of rice this year, a government statement said on May 23.

Vietnam and Thailand have won a bid to supply 250,000 tonnes of rice for the Philippines at 424.85 USD per tonne, 0.15 USD lower than the set reference price of 425 USD.

The Philippine National Food Authority (NFA) is planning to import more rice from Vietnam and Thailand in an effort to have a sufficiency of rice throughout the country this year.