THE United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) projected the Philippines to import more rice than initially estimated this year.

This will further boost the USDA claim that the Philippine will remain as the world’s top importer of the grain staple.

According to their Grain: World Markets and Trade report, the USDA projects the Philippines to import 3.9 million metric tons (MT) of rice this year.

This is higher than the earlier estimate of 3.8 million MT in January

The USDA said that their projection is based from the “strong recent purchases from Vietnam.”

During the visit to Vietnam, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Rice Trade Cooperation was signed during the state visit of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to Hanoi in late January.

Under the MOU, Vietnam has agreed to a five-year trade commitment for them to supply white rice to the Philippine private sector.

This amounts to 1.5 million to 2 million metric tons (MT) per year at a competitive and affordable price.

Earlier, the USDA said that according to the Philippines’ importation of rice so far this year, with 56,090.63 MT as of January 11.

Most of them comes from Vietnam, which has continued to be among the top sources of rice imports.