MANILA, Philippines -- The government said Wednesday it paid an average price of $940.00 per ton, including cost and freight, for 600,000 tons of rice from Vietnam in a government-to-government agreement.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap told Reuters the deal would cover the country’s rice requirements for this year but did not rule out importing more of the grain later this year for 2009 needs.

"This is sufficient for the 2008 requirement," Yap said in a telephone interview.

At its last successful rice tender in April, Manila paid an average of about $1,136.00 per ton, including cost and freight, up 60 percent from a tender in March.