President extends ban on rice import

PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has ordered an extension of the the rice import ban beyond Nov. 2, 2025, to support local farmers and stabilize prices, Malacañang said.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro told reporters Friday, Sept. 26, the President directed that the two-month suspension of rice imports, which started Sept. 1, be prolonged.

“Layunin din nitong i-stabilize ang presyo ng palay sa merkado at alalayan ang mga Pilipinong magsasaka sa panahon ng ani,” Castro said.

(The President’s directive is meant to stabilize palay prices in the market and assist farmers during the harvest season.)

“Ang hakbang na ito ng Pangulo ay pagtaguyod sa kapakanan ng mga magsasaka na patuloy sa pagtatrabaho upang may maihain sa hapag kainan ang bawat pamilyang Filipino.”

(This move by the President upholds the welfare of farmers who continue working to ensure every Filipino family has food on the table.)

The rice import ban, imposed on Sept. 1, was meant to shield local farmers during the peak harvest season after cheap imports had pushed palay prices down to as low as P8 per kilo.

Since then, farmgate prices have improved to as high as P17 in some areas, though others still report unprofitable rates.

The current ban is set to end on Oct. 30, and was put in place to coincide with the peak wet season of palay (unhusked rice) harvest.

Last Sept. 19, Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced he would recommend a two-week extension of the ban to continue to continue the positive impact on local palay prices.

The agricultural chief added that the volume of imported rice remains a key factor influencing traders’ buying prices for palay.

As of Sept. 11, a total of 3.08 million metric tons of imported rice had entered the country from about 3,574 issued sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances. / JGS, PNA