Rice imports could hit 5.6-M tons as Philippines demand outpaces output
The Philippines could import a record 5.6 million tonnes of rice in MY 2026-27, according to S&P Global Energy CERA, nearly 49% above the previous year. However, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. expects 3.6–3.8 million tonnes of imports for calendar 2026, with volumes potentially rising to 5–5.2 million tonnes if the government builds additional strategic reserves.
The Philippines could import as much as 5.6 million metric tons of rice in the 2026-2027 marketing year, although Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the country’s requirement for calendar year 2026 would likely be lower.
S&P Global Energy CERA projected the 5.6-million-MT volume for the July 2026 to June 2027 marketing period, which would be the country’s highest level in about a decade.
The estimate is nearly 49 percent higher than the 3.75 million MT recorded in the previous marketing year and is also in line with the US Department of Agriculture’s projection.
Laurel, however, said the Philippines would need around 3.6 million to 3.8 million MT of imported rice for calendar year 2026.
The difference between the figures mainly reflects the periods they cover. Laurel’s estimate applies to January to December 2026, while the 5.6-million-MT projection runs from July 2026 to June 2027.
Laurel also said imports could rise to around 5 million to 5.2 million MT if the government decides to build additional strategic reserves, depending on global rice prices and the outcome of the main harvest beginning around September.
He said about 3.3 million MT had already been imported as of late July, while another 1 million MT had been contracted for delivery.
The government has also stopped issuing new sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances for 5-percent broken rice, although shipments covered by previously approved permits may still enter.
Vietnam remains the Philippines’ main foreign rice supplier, while the government continues to manage import volumes as it balances consumer demand with efforts to protect local producers.
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Source : The Chronicle
