Rice imports to fall on ban

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) expects the Philippines’ rice imports to decline by nearly 19 percent compared with the previous marketing year (MY) following the extension of the import ban until the end of the year.

- By DEXTER BARRO II

In its grain and feed report, the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) estimated that Philippine rice imports would reach 4.4 million metric tons (MT) in MY 2025-2026, down from 5.4 million MT in MY 2024-2025.

The current MY began in July this year and will end in June of the following year.

The latest estimate is 12-percent lower than the USDA’s previous forecast of five million MT in September, when the government’s suspension of foreign rice purchases was still set at 60 days.