Marcos to discuss DA's rice tariffs hike, import freeze proposals in India

As part of his state visit to India, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will discuss the Philippines’ plan on rice imports, including the Department of Agriculture’s proposal for higher tariffs and a temporary import freeze.

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“The Cabinet will discuss this urgent matter with the President in India on the sidelines of his state visit,” the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said in a statement on Monday, August 4.

India is the world’s largest rice exporter, while the Philippines is the top rice importer, projected to reach a record 5.5 million metric tons in imports by 2026. The Philippines imported 4.78 million metric tons of rice in 2024.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) must be amended again because it is “creating a problem for local rice producers.”

“I really feel that the RTL, as it is written today, will kill our rice industry. If it is not addressed, if it is not amended, it will kill the rice industry,” he said on July 31.