Rice is loaded for export. — VNA/VNS Photo

Việt Nam is still the Philippines' largest rice export partner, with 1.44 million tonnes in the first five months of the year, accounting for 72.9 per cent of the Philippines' total rice imports.

The Bureau of Plant Industry under the Philippine Department of Agriculture said that the Philippines' rice imports reached nearly two million tonnes in the first five months of the year.

From January 1 - May 23, the Philippines' total rice imports rose by 20.3 per cent, compared to the first five months of last year, reaching 1.97 million tonnes.

Việt Nam is still the Philippines' largest rice export partner. Vietnamese rice exported to the Philippines reached 1.44 million tonnes from January 1 to May 23, accounting for 72.9 per cent of the Philippines' total rice imports.

In second place is Thailand with exports to the Philippines reaching 300,227 tonnes, followed by Pakistan with 144,834 tonnes, then Myanmar with 65,080 tonnes.

The remainder of rice is imported from India, China, Japan, Cambodia, Italy and Spain.

Total rice imports into the Philippines are estimated to reach about four million tonnes this year.

The local market is particularly fond of Vietnamese rice varieties Dt8 and 5451, due to their softness, with rice from Việt Nam dominating the metro Manila area and the southern provinces. — VNS