State-run National Food Authority (NFA) is set conduct in the first week of July the bidding for 250,000 metric tons of rice supposedly to beef up government buffer stocks during the lean months.

NFA spokesperson Marietta Ablaza said that the grains agency hopes to publish the invitation to bid on Friday for them to conduct the tender “as soon as possible,” noting that it would take 28 days to complete the entire bidding process alone.