The government is in active discussions with Pakistan and India to secure a combined 2 million metric tons (MT) of rice, addressing future import requirements, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said he recently met with the Pakistani ambassador to finalize a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that would see Pakistan allocate up to 1 million MT of rice annually to the Philippines. This would account for about 25 percent of the country’s rice import requirement.
“The intention is to create a level playing field among our rice supplying nations… We want them to compete for our market,” Tiu Laurel said in a statement. Negotiations are also underway for India to help strengthen the country’s rice supply base.
This is part of the government’s broader strategy to diversify its rice sources and lower costs, to help make the rice staple more affordable for consumers.
Data from the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) shows that as of 12 December 2024, Vietnam remains the Philippines’ primary rice supplier, providing 3.44 million MT, or 76.8 percent of all rice imports. In contrast, India has supplied only 22,573 MT (0.5 percent), and Pakistan, 244,859 MT (5.5 percent) of the total imports.
In January, the Philippines and Vietnam agreed on a five-year rice quota of 1.5 to 2 million MT.
On the retail front, rice prices in the National Capital Region have seen notable adjustments. As of 17 December 2024, local well-milled rice is priced from P40 to P53 per kilo, while regular milled rice costs P40 to P48 per kilo. Imported rice varieties range from P40 to P56 per kilo for well-milled and P42 to P48 per kilo for regular milled. Special and premium rice varieties are priced higher, with imported special rice reaching P54 to P64 per kilogram.
