RICE STOCK

• The country’s total rice stock inventory as of May 1, 2009 was estimated at 2.68 million metric tons, around 205 thousand metric tons (8.3%) higher than last month’s level. It was also higher by 18.5 percent than last year’s stock for the same period.
• Comparative estimates with those of last month showed significant increases in all the sectors’ inventories. Stocks in the household went up by 1.2 percent while those in the commercial sector grew by  14.7 percent. The volume of stocks in NFA depositories of which 65 percent were imported rice was also higher by 14.5 percent.
• Compared to last year’s records, stocks in the households and commercial warehouses went down by 0.1 percent and 11.2 percent, respectively. In contrast, stocks in NFA depositories increased by 80.8 percent.
• As of May 1, 2009, rice stocks at NFA depositories would be good for 30 days, while those in commercial sector would be good for 13 days. Household stocks would last for 34 days. The total volume of rice stocks would be enough for 77 days.

Table 1. Rice Stock Inventory: Household, Commercial and NFA, Philippines, May 1, 2009

CORN STOCK

• The current total corn stocks amounted to 232 thousand metric tons. This was higher by 2.7 percent than last month’s level but 27.5 percent below that of the same period last year.
• Compared to the stock levels last month and last year, stock drawdowns in the households were recorded at 26.2 percent and 24.3 percent, respectively. Stocks in the commercial sector went up by 28.6 percent from last month’s inventory but these were 29.0 percent lower than last year’s record.
• Around 34.0 percent of the current corn stocks were with the households while 66.0 percent were with the commercial warehouses. NFA did not have any corn stocks during the inventory period.

Table 2. Corn Stock Inventory: Household, Commercial and NFA, Philippines, May 1, 2009