The Philippine Government imposed a rice import ban for 60 days from September 1, 2025, to safeguard local farmers affected by reduced prices during the harvest season. However, adding more woes to the Vietnamese rice exporters, the government of Philippines is planning to extend the rice import ban for further 15 to 30 days.
The announcement of possible extension came after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. directed the Department of Agriculture (DA) to prepare the necessary orders for both an expanded import halt and a tariff increase. As already stated by the local government of Philippines it has taken this step to safeguard local farmers affected by reduced prices during the harvest season. In his previous statement Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jnr stated that an inundation of imported rice is burdening local producers and could pressurise millers to shut down their operations. The tariffs on rice imports, on the other hand, have been pegged at 15 percent.
Tiu Laurel declined to reveal a target duration for Rice Import Ban
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, however declined to reveal a target duration for rice import ban that is badly affecting Vietnamese rice exporters. Additionally, the Philippines Agriculture Secretary stated that before the rice import ban in Philippines, the price of rice was around 8-10 pesos/kg, and currently, in some areas, it is 17 pesos/kg. He stated that the extension of the ban will be calculated based on specific data. However, Rice production data in the Philippines last week showed that widespread flooding in agricultural areas in the Philippines may cause rice production in 2025 to be lower than projected.
Government’s Goal for Paddy Produce
The output of paddy rice, usually planted twice a year, rose to 8.2 million tonnes (9 million tons) in the first half of the year. The government’s goal is to produce a record 18.5 million tonnes (20.5 million tons) for the full year. Last year, the government reduced the import duty on rice to 15 per cent from 35 per cent until 2028 in a bid to control inflation. Rice prices in the Philippines fell by a record 15.9 per cent last month.
Rice Prices in Vietnam Plunge to their Lowest Level
Owing to rice import ban in Philippines, rice prices in Vietnam have plunged to their lowest level in nearly three years. Since the Philippines is the world’s largest rice importer and the biggest buyer of Vietnamese rice, the rice impost suspension for 60 days and now its further extension is a major blow for rice exporters of Vietnam.