DESPITE recent rice imports aimed at boosting domestic stocks, the country’s total rice inventory stood at 2.36 million metric tons (MMT) in June, lower than the volume recorded a year ago and in May, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.

In its latest “Rice and Corn Stocks Inventory” report, the state-run statistics agency said the figure was an 8.24-percent decrease from 2.57 MMT in June 2017 and an 18.85-percent decline from 2.9 MMT two months ago.