Vietnam to attend Indonesia rice tender

VFA has asked its members to register for attendance in an Indonesian rice supply tender - PHOTO: TRUNG CHANH

CAN THO – The Vietnam Food Association (VFA) has asked its members to register for attendance in a competitive rice supply tender which Indonesia will organize pretty soon.

Indonesia has decided to import 500,000 tons of medium-grade rice from Thailand and Vietnam to contain rising rice prices and declining supply.

Pham Thai Binh, director of Trung An Hi-tech Farming JSC, told the Daily that VFA had informed his company of the Indonesian rice tender.

The association told its members to give details about their rice varieties, volumes and prices so that it could prepare for the bidding.

“The eligible varieties are 5%, 15% and 25% broken rice,” Binh said, adding the deadline for shipping rice to Indonesia is late next month.

He added Indonesia will soon start inviting tenders.

Indonesia’s rice prices have been increasing since late last year as a result of an undersupply, Jakarta Post reported, quoting Indonesian Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita.

According to Binh, Indonesia is inclined to set low rice prices while rice prices in the Vietnamese market are on the rise.

Ngo Ngoc Yen, director of HCMC-based rice firm Yen Ngoc, said the price of low-grade rice IR 50404, the main material for producing 5%, 15% and 25% broken rice, is VND7,900-8,000 a kilo, up VND800-1,000 against the previous 10-day period at the Ba Dac Wholesale Food Market in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang.

She added fragrant rice is priced at VND9,200-9,500 a kilo, up VND800-1,000 over the same period. Meanwhile, fresh IR 50404 and fragrant rice varieties are bought at VND5,300-5,400 and VND6,000-6,300 a kilo respectively in the delta.