MANILA (Dow Jones)--Vietnamese suppliers will likely win a Philippine tender Tuesday to buy up to 550,000 metric tons of rice, as Thai prices are at high levels, traders said Monday. 
 
Six Vietnamese suppliers, led by state-owned Vietnam Southern Food Corp., or Vinafood, are expected to make offers for the tender by the National Food Authority, or NFA. 
 
"The NFA is buying only 550,000 tons. Vinafood is likely to corner 400,000 tons, so there is a limited volume available to other suppliers," said a trader at an international trading house.

Under NFA bidding rules, government suppliers such as Vinafood may be awarded a maximum volume of 400,000 tons. 
 
 While Vietnamese prices are at high levels, they remain more competitive than Thai prices, the trader said. 
 
 The indicative price of Vietnam's 25% broken rice is $360-$370/ton, FOB, Ho Chi Minh City versus Thai offers for the same variety of $380-$385/ton, FOB, Bangkok. 
 
 Prevailing tightness in Vietnam's export supply due to a delay in the harvesting of the main crop isn't likely to deter Vietnamese suppliers from making attractive offers, traders said. 
 
 They added the NFA has never penalized Vietnamese suppliers who failed to deliver their rice shipments on time. 
 
 The NFA plans to buy 550,000 tons of 25% broken rice for shipment between February and April this year. 
 
 It has a budget allocation of PHP9.932 billion ($243 million) for the tender. 
 
 Aside from the Vietnamese exporters, two Thai suppliers and six trading firms are expected to bid in Tuesday's tender. 
 
 The Philippines is expected to buy 1.6 million tons of rice this year,  from an import volume of 1.87 millions on in 2007.