The Philippines imported 2.75 million metric tons of rice in the first six months of 2026, a 20.1 percent increase from the 2.29 million MT recorded in the same period last year, the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced Wednesday in Quezon City. DA spokesperson Arnel De Mesa noted the higher arrivals came as the market responded to rising fuel and fertilizer costs, plus concerns over the expected El Niño weather pattern this year.
While the increase appears significant, De Mesa said it was necessary to secure enough affordable supply amid these challenges. He emphasized the DA is taking proactive steps to ease the impact on local producers ahead of the main harvest season starting in September. Current rules cap the broken grain in imports at 25 percent, the National Food Authority offers competitive purchase rates for local palay, and a temporary pause on imports during peak harvest is under review.
De Mesa added that officials will monitor conditions through July and August, when most standing crops are still in early growth stages, before making final decisions. The goal is to balance stable, sufficient supply through year-end with fair prices that do not disadvantage local farmers. Latest price data for Metro Manila as of July 7 shows local well-milled rice at P50 per kilogram and regular milled at P45 per kg, while imported well-milled rice sells for P48 per kg. Premium and special varieties range from P50 to P60 per kg for both local and imported sources.
