Philippine : Rice imports down by almost half in first quarter
Philippine rice imports dropped nearly 50% in Q1 2025, with 641,000 metric tons imported by March 13, compared to 1.2 million metric tons last year. Improved harvest expectations and actions to stabilize rice prices contributed to this decline. The Philippines remains the top global rice importer. Meanwhile, 986 metric tons of yellow onions and 2,300 metric tons of red onions have arrived.
MANILA — Philippine rice imports were cut by almost half in the first quarter of 2025, the Department of Agriculture said on Wednesday.
As of March 13, 2025, total rice imports reached 641,000 metric tons, which was much lower than the 1.2 million metric tons imported in the same period last year.
“Ibig sabihin nito, malaki talaga yung pumasok na imported na bigas last year, plus expectations na magiging maganda ang harvest this year,” Asec. Arnel De Mesa said.
The El Nino phenomenon impacted local rice production in 2024, which triggered more imports due to fears that ricefields would dry up due to drought. De Mesa also said the agency’s aggressive actions to temper the price of rice and even India’s actions on rice exports contributed to lower level of rice imports.
“Makikita natin na nag-aadjust ang importation,” De Mesa said. (We can see that importers are adjusting.)
“Nagiging predictive na ngayon yung pangangailangan for importation, which can be manifested ngayon dito,” he added. (We can now predict the need for rice imports, and it is manifested in this data.)
The Philippines ranked as the world’s top importer of rice in 2023 and 2024.
ONION IMPORTS
Meanwhile, 986 metric tons out of the expected 1000 MT of imported yellow onions have arrived in the country while 2,300 metric tons of red onions have also arrived out of expected 3,000 metric tons.
“Hindi na nadagdagan ang dumating na sibuyas,” De Mesa said.
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Source : ABS CBN
