Philippines extends rice import ban until end-2025

PHILIPPINE President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. approved the extension of the country’s rice import ban until yearend to help stabilize farmgate prices for unmilled rice, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. said on Sunday.

- - Chloe Mari A. Hufana

An executive order formalizing the decision would be issued on Nov. 3, Mr. Laurel said in a statement.

"With the import ban having little impact on retail prices and supply of rice but a significant effect on the farmgate price of palay, President Marcos deemed it necessary to extend the suspension for two more months," he added.

Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro did not immediately reply to a Viber message when asked for confirmation.

The Marcos administration first imposed the import halt on Sept. 1 to counter falling palay prices ahead of the wet harvest season.

Prices briefly improved after the suspension but began easing again as the policy neared its Oct. 31 expiry.

The country is the world’s top rice importer, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). However, due to the rice import ban, it lowered its 2025 forecast for Philippine rice imports to 4.9 million metric tons (MT) from 5.4 million MT.

As of August, the Philippines had already imported 2.58 million MT of rice this year, compared with 4.81 million MT in 2024.