ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve 

Handover of Korea’s 500 MT-rice for flood relief in Lao PDR

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The APTERR Secretariat together with representatives from the Republic of Korea (ROK) were invited to attend the ceremonial handover and distribution of Korea's 500-MT rice to assist people affected by severe floods triggered by tropical storm Podul and tropical depression Kajiki.

    

The event was hosted by the Government of Lao PDR on 13 November 2019 at the Office of Labor and Social Welfare in Salavan province.

 

Mr. Savanh Hanephom, Deputy Director General of the Department of Planning and Finance   of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Lao PDR and the APTERR Council member warmly welcomed Mr.Chanipithya Shimphalee, General Manager of the APTERR Secretariat, Mr. Park Heung Kweun, Minister Counsellor of the Embassy of the ROK in Lao PDR and their teams to the significant event. Also, there were  representatives from the Ministry of Labour and Social Wefare of Lao PDR, local governments, the World Food Programme as well as other agencies witnessing the programme.

 

The Government of Lao PDR expressed their sincere gratitude to the Government of the ROK and Korean people for providing rice relief to those affected by disastrous calamities and showed a heartfelt appreciation to the APTERR Secretariat for continuous support to strengthen food security in Lao PDR.

 

Tropical storm Podul and tropical depression Kajiki widely hit Lao PDR causing more than hundred thousands of people affected. This 500-MT rice would be allocated to assist those suffering in five provinces; Champasak, Saravan, Savannakhet, Sekong and  Khammouan.  

 

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 What is APTERR?

 

The ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) is a regional cooperation established under the APTERR Agreement signed by the Ministers of the Agriculture and Forestry of the ASEAN Plus Three at the 11th Meeting of the ASEAN Minister on Agriculture and Forestry Plus Three (AMAF+3) on 7 October 2011 in Jakarta, Indonesia. The APTERR was officially established itself as a permanent mechanism and also marked the official launch of the APTERR Secretariat office in Bangkok in 2013. 

 

We are keen to strengthen food security, poverty alleviation, and malnourishment eradication among its members without distorting normal trade, while the common goal of the APTERR Parties is the assurance of food security in the ASEAN+3 region. 

 

 

 

APTEERR Stock Overview APTEER Stock Marker Map with Animation

Current APTERR stock under Tier 3 in FY2025

**The pre-positioned stockpiled system under Tier 3 programme in FY 2025 to ensure a timely rice assistance to people affected by calamities

Current APTERR stock volume (MT)

Cambodia

275 MT

360 MT

Total :635 MT

Lao PDR

300 MT

302 MT

1,000 MT

Total :1,602 MT

Myanmar

375 MT

2,000 MT

Total :2,375 MT

Philippines

400 MT

Total :400 MT

Natural Disasters

 

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WEEKLY UPDATE ON NATURAL DISASTERS
IN ASEAN PLUS THREE

No. 467 792726210d1e7546b7ced88db6894424 

13 - 19 May 2026

  1. Indonesia
  2. Myanmar
  3. Thailand
  4. Viet Nam
  5. P.R. China
  6. Japan

Deadly flood and landslides wreaked havoc in Indonesia. Torrential rainfall during 12-13 May 2026 triggered severe flooding and landslides in Jambi province, Indonesia. It affected over 24,000 people, caused two fatalities and one injury, and damaged more than 5,600 houses and 214 hectares of rice fields. Later, overflowing rivers triggered by 24 hours of heavy rainfall inundated thousands of homes and public facilities and forced some residents in parts of Central Sulawesi, South Kalimantan, and West Java provinces to evacuate. According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB)’s report on 19 May 2026, around 5,205 people were affected and over 1,700 houses damaged. The residents living near riverbanks were advised to remain alert and evacuate if prolonged heavy rainfall continued.

Source: AHA Centre (2026, May 18). ASEAN Weekly Disaster Update Week 20/11-17 May 2026; ANTARA News. (2026, May 19). Heavy rain triggers floods in three Indonesia provinces: BNPB.

Moderate earthquake struck Myanmar. A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck near the southern coast of Myanmar on the morning of 18 May 2026.  The epicentre was about 14.5 km. south of Kyauktan township, Yangon Region at a focal depth of 40 km. No casualties or property damage were reported. This tremor was also felt by the residents in high-rise buildings in Bangkok and several other parts of Thailand. However, no serious damage or casualties were reported following the earthquake.

Source: The Star. (2026, May 18). Moderate magnitude earthquake hits Myanmar.

Flash floods submerged schools and villages in Thailand. Prolonged heavy rainfall over five days triggered flash floods on 18 May 2026, damaging schools and villages in the border province of Tak and forcing residents to scramble to higher ground. The following day, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) issued a nationwide alert covering May 19–21, warning of forest run-offs, flash floods, and strong waves in southern coastal provinces due to a strong southwest monsoon.

Source: Khaosod (2026, May 19). Flash floods hit Tak school after five days of rain.

Extreme weather caused widespread impacts to Viet Nam. Many provinces in Viet Nam experienced severe lightning storms during 13-14 May 2026. Reports indicated that four people died in   Quang Tri, Da Nang, and Quang Ngai provinces in Viet Nam.  Later, heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and strong winds swept across Cao Bang, Quang Ninh, Thanh Hoa, and Dak Lak during 15-17 May 2026, causing flooding and crop damage. Total losses estimated at more than VND10.2 billion (USD 387,000).  Thunderstorms and heavy rains were forecast to continue in many regions nationwide until 21 May 2026.

Source: AHA Centre (2026, May 18). ASEAN Weekly Disaster Update Week 20/ 11-17 May 2025; VN Express (2026, May 19). Heavy rain, whirlwinds caused USD 387,000 damage in Viet Nam provinces.

Moderate earthquake and devastating floods hit P.R. China. On 17 May 2026, a magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck at a shallow depth of 10 km in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The quake caused at least 13 buildings to collapse, resulting in two deaths, one missing person, and the displacement of over 7,000 residents.  Two days later, at least 10 people had died after relentless heavy rains caused massive flooding and landslides across Hubei, Hunan, Guangxi, Chongqing, and Guizhou. The China Meteorological Administration maintained elevated orange alerts as the weather system shattered local rainfall records. A Level-IV emergency response was activated to accelerate state-level disaster relief.

Source: ReliefWeb. (2026, May 18). China-Earthquake (GDACS, USGS, media) (ECHO Daily Flash of 18 May 2026); Aljazeera. (2026, May 19). At least 10 dead as huge floods sweep southern and central China.

Strong earthquake struck Japan with no casualties. A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 struck off the coast of Miyagi Prefecture in northeastern Japan on the evening of 15 May 2026. The quake temporarily halted Tohoku Shinkansen bullet train services. No tsunami warning was issued, and no immediate casualties or abnormalities at the nearby Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant were reported.

Source: Kyodo News. (2026, May 15). M6.4 earthquake jolts northeastern Japan, no tsunami warning issued.

Rice Situation

 

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WEEKLY UPDATE ON RICE SITUATIONS 
IN ASEAN PLUS THREE

No. 467 792726210d1e7546b7ced88db6894424 

13 - 19 May 2026

  1. Philippines
  2. Thailand
  3. Viet Nam

The Department of Agriculture (DA) plans on 53 PHP per kilogramme for the local rice price. The DA plans to introduce a suggested retail price (SRP) of 53 PHP (0.86 USD) per kilogram for local rice to promote fair pricing, following the President’s approval of a 50 PHP (0.81 USD) per kilogram price cap on imported 5 percent broken rice. According to the Agriculture Secretary, the SRP is intended as a consumer price guide rather than a mandatory ceiling, helping balance farmers’ incomes with consumer affordability. Full enforcement of the imported rice price cap will begin next week after an adjustment period for retailers and consumers.

*1 USD = 61.65 PHP

Source: Philippines News Agency. (2026, May 19). DA eyes P53/kg retail price for local rice.

Farmers urge the government to implement water management measures and fair compensation. Farmers in Phitsanulok are urging the government to reassess the Bang Rakam flood-retention project and ensure fair compensation, as many expect they will not meet the August 15 rice harvest deadline required under the scheme. According to the local representatives, farmers are not against the project itself, which is designed to reduce flooding in central Thailand and Bangkok, but argue that compensation has been insufficient. According to Bang Rakam Mai mayor Wiboon Tangkasemwiboon, farmers lose one crop cycle annually and face four to five months without income because their farmland is used to store floodwater.

Source: Bangkok Post. (2026, May 12). Farmers question water plan.

Viet Nam approved 70,000 tonnes of rice under the “Low-emission Green Vietnamese Rice” label. Viet Nam has certified around 70,000 tonnes of rice under the “Low-emission Green Vietnamese Rice” label, with the first shipment of more than 400 tonnes exported to Japan in June 2025. The certified rice has also entered European and Oceanian markets, reflecting growing demand for sustainably produced rice. According to the official, the certification programme currently applies to members of the Viet Nam Rice Industry Association, though more cooperatives are encouraged to participate. The initiative aims to support Vietnam’s one-million-hectare high-quality, low-emission rice cultivation project in the Mekong Delta. In addition, the project covers over 170,000 hectares across 64 communes with 171 cooperatives involved in Can Tho. Authorities said pilot models have shown that low-emission rice farming is effective, while digitalised data and verified green practices are key to improving competitiveness and accessing premium markets.

Source: Vietnam Plus. (2026, May 14). 70,000 tonnes of rice granted “Low-emission Green Vietnamese Rice” label.

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