The country’s state-run grains agency will now proceed with the importation of rice to augment the supply of subsidized rice in the market after being delayed by its policy-making body.

Administrator Jason Aquino has ordered the importation of 250,000 metric tons (MT) of rice under the government-to-government (G to G) scheme, according to an official of the National Food Authority (NFA).

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The NFA Council has originally planned to import rice through the open tender scheme, wherein the government will be transacting with private rice traders.

While the G to G scheme is said to be more prone to corruption and less transparent since the base price for bidding will not be disclosed, its process of procurement is much shorter.

The agency will purchase rice from the governments of Vietnam and Thailand where the country has an existing memorandum of understanding (MOU).

The initial shipments are expected to arrive in the country by the end of May through ports in Cebu, Davao, and Manila.

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