Philippines plans 500,000-ton rice imports ahead of tariff hike
Philippine authorities will process applications to import 500,000 tons of rice before tariffs rise to 20%. Imports must arrive by mid-February 2026 to protect farmgate prices. Total 2026 imports are projected at 3.6–3.8 million tons, supported by near-record domestic palay production. Ports will be limited and permits eased nationwide coverage.
The Philippines will begin processing applications to import 500,000 metric tons of rice ahead of a planned increase in tariffs to 20%, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).
The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) will start accepting applications for sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance before the end of the year, with 50,000 tons of the volume reserved for government agencies, the DA said.
Rice imports will be subject to a 20% tariff, up from the current 15%, although no executive order has yet been issued to formalize the increase, the agency said. The adjustment was agreed with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s economic managers.
“The tariff increase reflects several realities—the recent depreciation of the peso and the likelihood of higher global prices once the Philippines reenters the market,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said.
The DA said imports must arrive by mid-February 2026, when the summer harvest begins, to avoid a repeat of sharp declines in farmgate palay prices. The government will waive the 10% down payment requirement for the issuance of import permits.
Shipments during the January-to-February import window will be limited to 17 ports nationwide, including Manila, Batangas, Cebu, Davao and General Santos, the DA said.
Tiu Laurel said rice imports in 2026 are expected to total 3.6 million to 3.8 million tons, higher than the 3.5 million tons estimated for this year but below the record 4.8 million tons imported in 2024.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has forecast Philippine rice imports at 5.5 million tons for the 2025–26 marketing year.
Imports of 3.6 million to 3.8 million tons would be sufficient to meet domestic demand without pushing down farmgate prices, Tiu Laurel said.
The DA projects palay production in 2026 at 20.3 million tons, exceeding the previous record of 20.06 million tons set in 2023.
The agency said it will miss its production target this year due to flooding and other weather-related disruptions.
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Source : Bilyonaryo
