RICE STOCK

• Total rice stock as of February 1, 2009 was estimated at 2.32 million metric tons.  It was lower by 9.7 percent from previous month’s stock volume but 26.0 percent higher than last year’s level. The current stock would be enough  for 66 days.
• Compared to previous month’s stock position, this month’s records were lower. In the households, stocks dropped by 14.3 percent. Reductions were also noted in commercial sector, by 9.9 percent and in NFA, by 2.8 percent.
• Compared to 2008 levels, this  year’s stocks were lower; by 3.4 percent in the households and by 12.7 percent in the commercial sector. In contrast, stocks in NFA depositories registered a significant increase of 210.9 percent. Imported rice accounted for 47.0 percent of NFA stocks.
• Around 47 percent of the total rice stock inventory were with the households, while 17 percent were with the commercial warehouses and 36 percent were with the NFA depositories.

CORN STOCK

• The February 1, 2009 total corn stock inventory stood at 163.5 thousand metric tons. It was lower than the preceding month’s level by 17.3 percent and 12.6 percent from last year’s record.
• Compared to last month’s level, stock in the households was higher by 13.0 percent but was 12.7 percent lower than last year’s level. Stocks in the commercial sector also declined by 37.6 percent from last month’s record and by 12.6 percent from last year’s level.
• NFA did not have corn stock during the inventory period.