Manila, April 21 - The Philippines is considering raising the volume of rice it wants to import at a May 5 tender to 600,000 tonnes from 500,000 tonnes, a source from the National Food Authority (NFA) said on Monday.
The source at the NFA, the state's grain-importing arm, declined to be identified because he does not have the authority to speak to the media. He said a decision would be taken later this week.
The Philippines is the world's biggest importer of rice and its frequent tenders have helped fuel large leaps in the price of Asia's national staple, sparking concern about its affordability to hundreds of millions of poor consumers around the world.
Earlier on Monday, the NFA said the size of the tender, the third in as many months, would be finalised at a pre-bid conference on Wednesday.
"It's being re-assessed," NFA assistant administrator Conrad Ibanez told Reuters.
The Philippines is trying to buy 2.2 million tonnes of rice ahead of a traditional lean period in the third quarter but it is struggling to attract volume as exporting nations curb shipments to keep a lid on food inflation at home.
At a tender for 500,000 tonnes of rice last week, traders offered less than two thirds of that amount and prices were on average over $1,000 a tonne, cost and freight, nearly 50 percent higher than the last rice tender in March.
The International Grains Council said last week that prices at the Philippines' May tender could be around $1,500 to $1,600 a tonne but international rice prices should fall back after Manila's flurry of tenders end and as more grain is harvested.
Benchmark Thai 100 percent grade B white rice has risen around 159 percent since the start of the year to $950 a tonne.
Excluding last week's tender, which has yet to be awarded, the Philippines has spent $626 million on importing 1.28 million tonnes of rice for this year.