President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has more than doubled the Philippines’ minimum access volume (MAV) for corn to 500,000 metric tons (MT) in 2026, allowing additional imports in a bid to ease feed costs and limit potential increases in pork and poultry prices.
Executive Order No. 129, signed on October 26, raises the existing 220,000-MT allocation by 280,000 MT through the MAV Plus Mechanism, as domestic production constraints and higher agricultural input costs threaten corn supplies.
The additional import volume would cover about 20% of the projected 1.422-million-MT yellow corn supply deficit from March to December 2026, highlighting the scale of the gap the government is seeking to address.
The expanded quota could help supplement domestic supply, but its impact on feed costs and retail meat prices will depend on import prices, shipping and other logistics expenses, and how quickly the additional corn reaches feed manufacturers and livestock producers.
The order cited rising fertilizer, fuel, freight and other agricultural input costs, as well as weather-related risks, including El Niño, that could further constrain domestic output.
Corn is a major energy source in livestock and poultry feeds, making its availability and price a significant factor in production costs. Higher feed expenses can put pressure on pork and poultry prices, although the extent to which these costs are passed on to consumers also depends on other production expenses, market demand and supply conditions.
Marcos submitted the proposed quota increase to Congress on September 29. Under Republic Act No. 8178, or the Agricultural Tariffication Act, proposed adjustments to the MAV are deemed approved if Congress takes no substantive action within 15 days of receipt.
The order directs the MAV Management Committee to issue implementing guidelines within 30 days of its effectivity. The guidelines are intended to ensure that the additional allocation is distributed equitably and transparently.
Eligible beneficiaries include feed millers, feed manufacturers, and farmers, cooperatives and associations producing feeds for their own livestock and poultry operations.
The government characterized the expansion as a temporary, calibrated measure to address the projected supply shortfall and help contain feed costs. The additional quota, however, is intended to supplement domestic supply rather than eliminate the projected deficit.
The order takes effect upon publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.
