RICE imports that are accumulating at Manila ports cannot yet be released as consignees still have to pay the required taxes and complete other requirements, the Bureau of Customs (BoC) said during the weekend.

'[T]he rice shipments are ready for release once consignees fulfill their responsibilities, and the accumulation at the ports is not due to any delay caused by congestion,' the BoC said in statement responding to the Department of Agriculture (DA) chief's claim that port congestion was delaying releases and were keeping rice prices high.