Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr ordered a 60-day suspension of rice imports from September 1 to October 30 to shield local farmers from declining paddy prices during the harvest season. The decision follows a recommendation by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel to temporarily suspend rice imports.
The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) stated that the local rice market has been strained by an influx of low-priced imports, leading some traders to purchase paddy from farmers at just 8–10 pesos per kilogram, significantly lower than the production cost of 12–14 pesos.
Farmers attributed the sharp drop in farmgate prices to the surge in cheap rice imports.
Thailand’s Office of Commercial Affairs in Manila stated that the suspension will cover regular milled and well-milled rice but will not apply to basmati and other specialty rice varieties.
Arada Fuangtong, Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Commerce, said that Thai rice exporters have indicated that the Philippine government’s import suspension will impact the export activities.
Arada Fuangtong, Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Commerce, noted that Thai rice exporters had expressed concerns over the Philippine government’s decision to halt rice imports, warning it would disrupt export activities. She added that rice importers were actively discussing the issue and intended to submit a petition to the relevant authorities, either seeking exemptions for already contracted shipments or urging a reversal of the suspension.
The Department of Foreign Trade is also implementing strategies to bolster Thai rice exports, secure new international orders, manage domestic rice supplies, and increase farmers’ incomes. Key actions include expediting government-to-government (G2G) rice trade deals—particularly the remaining 280,000 tons under an existing contract with China’s state-owned COFCO and boosting shipments of white and parboiled rice to high-demand markets such as Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq.
In 2024, Thailand’s rice exports to the Philippines reached a value of $333 million, marking a 58.69% rise from $210.45 million in 2023. In the first half of the year, Thailand shipped approximately 141,000 tons of rice to the Philippines, representing only 3.78% of its total rice exports.
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