140K sacks of rice from Vietnam arrives in Bicol

By Mar S. Arguelles LEGAZPI CITY --- Some 140,000 sacks of imported rice from Vietnam arrived yesterday (Sept. 6) afternoon at the Tabaco Port in Tabaco City on board MV Panh Ba -- a cargo vessel from Vietnam, the National Food Authority (NFA) in Bicol said. Customs and NFA authorities said the vessel would dock and unload the rice cargo shipment after import documents were submitted and customs and quarantine inspection have been conducted, according to Beth Jacob, NFA Bicol spokesperson. The cargo rice shipment forms part of the 500,000 sacks of rice bought from Vietnam that are expected to be delivered in three batches. Upon unloading, the 140,000 sacks will be brought to NFA warehouses in six Bicol provinces. The province of Camarines Sur has the biggest allocation of 40,000 bags, followed by Albay with 31,000 bags, Sorsogon-25,000, Camarines Norte- 20,000, and 12,000 each for Catanduanes and Masbate. Jacob said NFA stocks inventory indicates that there are only 42,219 bags available and these stocks would only last for a day.