RICE STOCK

• The April 1, 2006 total rice stock inventory was estimated at 2.19 million metric tons, up by 27.5 and 25.6 percent from previous month and last year’s levels, respectively. Stock inventory went up as more harvests came in the later part of the quarter.
• Comparative estimates with those of last month showed significant increases in all the sectors’ inventories. Household and commercial sectors’ holdings went up by 16.0 and 31.3 percent, respectively. Stocks in NFA depositories of which 92 percent are imported rice, were also higher by 53.2 percent.
• Compared to last year’s records, stocks in households, commercial warehouses and NFA depositories registered increments by 14.6, 23.2 and 57.9 percent, respectively.
• Of the total stock, 52 percent are with the households, 24 percent are with commercial warehouses and 27 percent are with NFA depositories. These are good for 37, 16 and 20 days supply, respectively. The current total stock is enough to last for 73 days.

CORN STOCK

• The April 1, 2006 total corn stock inventory of 263.6 thousand metric tons was 3.2 percent higher than last month’s level but 2.5 percent below that of same period last year.
• Compared to last month’s inventory, household stocks declined by 5.8 percent, while commercial stocks increased by 20.1 percent. In contrast, the household stocks increased by 9.7 percent, while that of the commercial warehouses dropped by 14.5 percent compared to last year’s level.
• Around 58.0 percent of the current corn stocks are with the households and 42.0 percent are with the commercial warehouses. NFA reported 32.6 metric tons of corn grain for the period.