Metro Manila, Philippines – Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said he is inclined to recommend an extension of the rice import suspension for at least 15 to 30 days due to improved local palay prices.
The suspension for importation of regular-milled and well-milled rice started Sept. 1 and will end on Oct. 30, based on Executive Order 93.
The directive was issued to protect farmers from depressed farmgate prices on palay during the peak of harvest. https://www.newswatchplus.ph/news/2025/8/31/marcos-eo-rice-import-suspension.html
Tiu Laurel is expected to forward his official recommendation to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. by end-September.
In a news release on Friday, Sept. 19, the Department of Agriculture said its preliminary data showed that farmgate prices of wet palay increased in recent weeks.
Before the import pause, the DA said wet palay prices went down to around P8 to P10 per kilogram. But it has monitored P17 per kilogram of wet palay in some parts of Mindanao.
“In provinces like Isabela and Nueva Ecija, prices have risen to P13 to P14 per kilogram. Although these prices are still not profitable for most farmers, they are an improvement,” Tiu Laurel said.
According to the DA, the production cost of palay is around P14 per kilogram, and could go down to P12 for the most efficient producers of the grain.
The agency said the volume of imported rice entering the country is a significant factor in determining palay prices.
As of Sept. 11, around 3 million metric tons of rice imports have arrived in the country. Over 2 million metric tons came from Vietnam.
As of Sept. 17, Metro Manila markets sold imported regular-milled rice at P30 per kilogram to P44 per kilogram, while imported well-milled rice at P36 per kilogram to P48 per kilogram.
Local regular-milled rice products were sold at P30 per kilogram to P45 per kilogram, while local well-milled rice at P38 per kilogram to P52 per kilogram.
