The Philippines to buy rice from Myanmar
Myanmar’s Ministry of Commerce revealed that the Philippines has offered to ink a government-to-government treaty to buy rice from its fellow ASEAN country. “The Philippines has offered to buy rice. More detailed discussions are needed [for the treaty]. Currently, it imports rice mainly from Vietnam. Its market has an enormous demand for rice,” said Khin Maung Lwin, a senior official from the ministry. The Philippines would become an excellent market for rice when the deal was made, the civil servant said. It also offered to buy rice from Myanmar in early 2016 but failed to make a deal. As there was a price gap between Myanmar and Vietnam, the latter apparently won the tender for a rice deal. Myanmar exported more than 80 per cent of rice to China through the Muse border centre. When Muse was attacked by rebels in late November, rice traders said they were preparing to export more rice by sea.
Myanmar exports rice to 33 countries and more consignments went to the African market this year.
