The Philippines' state grain agency is considering buying 120,000 tonnes of rice from either Vietnam or Thailand in a government-to-government deal and expects to make a decision by April, the head of the agency said on Monday.
The volume is part of the 500,000 tonnes of rice the Southeast Asian country needs to buy this year to ensure it has sufficient buffer stocks, even as it slowly reduces its reliance on rice imports. The rest of the volume will be brought in by the private sector.