Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has ordered a 60-day suspension on all white rice imports starting September 1, 2025, to protect local farmers during the harvest season who have been affected by falling rice prices.
According to a statement released by the Presidential Communications Office, the decision was made after consultations with Cabinet members while the President was in India. The move follows the recommendation from the Department of Agriculture (DA), aiming to stabilize domestic rice prices.
The DA noted that global rice supply is currently abundant, particularly after India lifted its rice export ban. On top of that, the Philippines achieved a record high rice production of 9.08 million metric tons in the first half of the year, putting additional downward pressure on local rice prices.
“Some private traders are now buying paddy rice from farmers at just 8 to 10 pesos per kilo (approximately RM0.59 to RM0.74), which is far below the production cost of 12 to 14 pesos (RM0.89 to RM1.03),” the DA stated, emphasizing that many farmers believe the price drop is directly linked to the influx of cheaper imported rice.
The DA has also recommended that President Marcos reinstate the white rice import tariff from the current 15% back to the original 35%. The tariff was previously reduced in July 2024 in an effort to curb rising rice prices.
