MANILA - Seven firms, including Thai and Vietnamese suppliers, submitted bids on Tuesday to sell up to 600,000 tons of rice to the Philippines.

It is the second tender by the world's biggest rice buyer for 2010 supplies after strong typhoons since September destroyed large swathes of ricefields. Vinafood 2, Vietnam's largest rice exporter, was among the firms which submitted bids.

The Philippines' grain importing arm, the National Food Authority, is seeking 25% broken white rice for delivery between February and May. It has set a budget of P15.26 billion ($325 million), or around $541 a ton, including cost and freight.