Philippines' Arroyo assures stocks secure
Updated
The Philippines president, Gloria Arroyo, has again assured her people there is enough rice for all of them.
She says importers have taken delivery of 500,000 metric tonnes of rice from Vietnam and Thailand.
She says it will be stockpiled to be used as a buffer for the lean harvest months between July and September.
An additional 700,000 metric tonnes is expected to arrive between April and June, with 80 per cent from Vietnam and the balance split between Thailand and Pakistan.
President Arroyo says the government will ensure stocks are properly distributed to reach the poor, who are most affected by soaring prices due to a shortage in the global supply of the essential grain.
The government has deployed police and the military to crack down on rice hoarders.
