RICE STOCK

• The national rice stock as of January 1, 2004 stood at 2.33 million metric tons, about 11 and 5 percent below the previous month and year ago levels, respectively. This stock level will be good for 87-day supply.
• In the household sector, rice stock increased by almost 4 percent from its 2003 level. The increase, however, is not enough to offset the drop in the holdings of the NFA and the commercial warehouses.
• More than half (52%) of the total stock were with the household sector; around 26 percent were with the NFA (about 385 thousand metric tons of which were imported); and the remaining 21 percent were with the commercial warehouses

CORN STOCK

• For corn, total stock inventory as of January 1, 2004 was estimated at 214.4 thousand metric tons, 4.8 and 8.0 percent lower than previous month and past year’s supply levels, respectively.
• Compared to their respective year ago levels, corn stock at household increased by 21 percent while that at commercial warehouses dropped by more than 26 percent.
• NFA reported no corn stock for the period.