Gov't sets flexible rice tariffs for '26

The country’s rice imports are expected to increase slightly by 100,000 metric tons (MT) to 300,000 MT next year as part of the government’s ongoing effort to limit purchases from abroad and help lift farmgate prices of palay, supported by a projected record-high harvest.

- By DEXTER BARRO II

Meanwhile, the government’s economic managers have agreed to raise tariffs on rice imports from the current 15 percent to 20 percent by Jan. 1, 2026.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said import volumes next year will likely range between 3.6 million MT and 3.8 million MT, a modest increase from this year’s projected total of 3.5 million MT. Imports this year are down from last year’s record-high of 4.81 million MT due to an import ban beginning in September.

The influx of cheaper foreign rice in the market was largely blamed for the sharp decline in farmgate prices of palay, severely limiting local farmers’ incomes.

Tiu Laurel said a policy to limit rice imports will remain in place next year through an industry-wide quantitative restriction (QR) of import volumes once the four-month import ban is lifted in January.

The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) is set to begin processing applications for sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) import clearances to bring in only 500,000 MT of rice during the import window in the first two months. A bulk of 450,000 MT will be allotted to rice importers, with 50,000 MT reserved for government agencies in case market intervention is needed.