The Philippines is poised to see improvements in its rice and corn production for marketing year 2025-2026, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Manila.
The country’s milled rice production is expected to rise by 2 percent to 12.25 million metric tons (MT), driven by favorable weather conditions and increased government support. This increase will contribute to a 1.9 percent decline in rice imports, which are projected to drop to 5.2 million MT. Rice consumption is also set to grow by 0.6 percent, reaching 17.3 million MT, largely due to population growth and improving economic factors. Vietnam and Thailand are forecast to remain the country’s rice suppliers.
In terms of corn production, the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service Manila expects a modest increase of 0.6 percent to 8.2 million MT. However, local production is still not expected to meet rising demand, leading to a forecast 7.4 percent increase in corn imports to 1.75 million MT. Corn consumption, especially for animal feeds, is also expected to rise, driven by higher demand from the broiler and pet food industries.
While these projections indicate positive growth for both rice and corn, local agricultural groups have expressed differing views, especially on the need for increased corn imports. Concerns have been raised on the impact of the ongoing African swine fever (ASF) on the hog industry, which affects overall corn demand.
Despite these uncertainties, the outlook for Philippine agriculture remains optimistic, with continued government support and favorable weather conditions expected to drive production growth in both sectors.
