The Philippines may need to import as many as two million tonnes of ricein 2014 due to a series of typhoons including super typhoon Haiyan, thecountry’s traders and farming experts have said.

Such amove would mark the largest rice import volume in four years by theSoutheast Asian country, which means it will miss its self- sufficiencytarget next year.

Last month, Philippine agriculturalofficials were optimistic about rice production, saying that anestimated 2.2 million tonnes of year end stock would minimise imports inline with its goal of becoming fully self-sufficient in rice by 2014.

However,this week it had to seek bids from regional Vietnam , Thailandand Cambodia for an emergency supply of 500,000 tonnes to booststate stocks depleted by relief operations after Haiyan devastated thecentral Philippines .

Vietnam bagged the government-to-government deal after offering the lowest price at a tender on November 26.

Importsapproved this year by the National Food Authority have hit 705,000tonnes, including the latest emergency purchase. Before Haiyan struck ithad been looking to cap 2013 imports to 350,000 tonnes.

The Philippines was the world’s biggest buyer of rice in 2010 when it imported 2.45 million tonnes.-VNA