RICE STOCK

• Total rice stock as of May 1, 2006 was estimated at 2.42 million metric tons, around 231 thousand m.t. (21.2%) higher than last year’s stock for the same period. It was also higher by 10.5 percent than the preceding month’s level of 2.19 million metric tons.
• Compared to last year, stock in the households, commercial warehouses and NFA depositories went up by 15.6, 5.2 and 47.0 percent, respectively. Imported rice comprised 94.0 percent of NFA stock. This month’s imported rice in NFA was 58.0 percent higher than last year’s level.
• All sectors posted higher stock levels as compared to previous month’s records.
• As of the reporting period, NFA rice stock was good for 25 days, while those in the households and commercial warehouses were good for 40 and 16 days, respectively. The current total stock is enough to last for 81 days.

CORN STOCK

• The current total corn stock amounted to 182 thousand metric tons, lower than the preceding month and last year’s levels by 30.9 and 19.0 percent, respectively.
• Compared to last year and month ago levels, stock drawdown was observed in commercial warehouses at 45.4 and 48.6 percent, respectively. The household stocks also went down by 20.3 percent compared to last month’s level but 14.8 percent higher than last year’s record.
• Around 67 percent of the current corn stocks are with the households and 33 percent are with the commercial warehouses.
• NFA reported no corn stock for the period.