It comes as a response to the the low prices for unmilled rice.
In his directive on Wednesday, August 6, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the suspension of rice importation for 60 days beginning September 1, 2025.
“To protect local farmers reeling from low palay prices during this current harvest season, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. today announced the suspension of all rice importation for 60 days beginning September 1, 2025,” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Dave M. Gomez shared.
According to the Palace, he issued the directive after consulting with Cabinet members on the sidelines of his five-day State Visit to India from August 4 to 8 and upon the recommendation of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) was also quoted saying that a mixture of numerous factors have led to the downward pressure on prices of palay.
These were the bumper rice harvests across the world, lifting of India’s rice export ban, and tbe record-high 9.08 million metric tons of palay harvest in the Philippines in the first half of the year.
“With cheaper imports flooding the market, reports indicate that some private traders are now buying palay for as low as P8 to P10 per kilo, well below the production cost of P12 to P14 per kilo. Farmers have attributed this sharp decline to the influx of cheaper imported rice,” the DA added.
These measure comes a few days after it was also revealed that there will be a temporary suspension of rice imports and the gradual return of rice tariffs from the 15% to 35% in the future.