Jamaine Punzalan

Sacks of well-milled rice are unloaded during a ceremonial turn-over of NFA Rice by the Department of Agriculture to LGUs as part of the Food Security Emergency on Rice on February 19, 2025 at the NFA Warehouse in Valenzuela City. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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20250219-NFA-ceremonial turnover

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<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175444438275820250219-nfa-rice-turnover-lgu-food-emergency-MT-14.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Sacks of well-milled rice are unloaded during a ceremonial turn-over of NFA Rice by the Department of Agriculture to LGUs as part of the Food Security Emergency on Rice on February 19, 2025 at the NFA Warehouse in Valenzuela City. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the suspension of all rice importation for 60 days beginning Sept. 1, 2025, Malacañang said Wednesday.  </p><p>The move aims “to protect local farmers reeling from low palay prices during this current harvest season,” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Dave Gomez said. </p><p>Farmers have attributed low palay prices to rice imports, which the government no longer caps but imposes tariffs on.</p><p>The agriculture department earlier <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/8/4/agriculture-dept-eyes-pause-on-rice-imports-as-it-seeks-higher-tariffs-1037">proposed suspending rice importation while it seeks to gradually increase the tariff </a>on imported rice to 25 percent from the current 15 percent ahead of the next harvest season.</p><p>Agriculture Assistant Secretary Joycel Panlilio said reinstating the 25 percent tariff would drive the cost of imported rice up and allow local growers to sell their harvest at fairer prices.  </p><p>But Marcos said it was not yet time to discuss tariff increases on imported rice, according to Gomez. </p><p>&quot;We will still see if we need to resort to that. Right now, the decision is to suspend all rice importation for 60 days beginning Sept. 1,” the Palace official said. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/27/wrap-p20-kg-rice-a-promise-kept-or-a-come-on-for-midterm-votes-1931">WRAP: P20/kg rice, a promise kept or a come-on for midterm votes?</a></div><p>He said the President issued the directive after consulting with Cabinet members on the sidelines of his <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/5/marcos-strikes-defense-deals-in-india-1713">5-day state visit in India.</a></p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/7/28/p20-rice-is-possible-to-be-further-expanded-with-p113-billion-budget-1640">Marcos: P20 rice program to be expanded nationwide<br style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial" id="isPasted"/>Gov&#x27;t may shoulder full cost of cheap rice program by 2026: Marcos  </a></div><p>Agriculture industry group SINAG said the rice importation pause &quot;offers no real benefit to our farmers, unfortunately.&quot; </p><p>&quot;Importers can simply advance or delay their shipments to work around the suspension, especially since the tariff rate remains at a low 15 percent,&quot; the group said in a statement.</p><p>It added that there was &quot;no urgency for new imports at this time, as warehouses — including those of the NFA — are already at full capacity.&quot; </p><p>&quot;Given these realities, the most effective and urgent course of action is to revert rice import tariffs to their previous levels: 35 percent for ASEAN imports [and] 50 percent for non-ASEAN imports,&quot; SINAG said. </p><p>&quot;This move is essential to discourage excessive imports, stabilize local farmgate prices, and restore a fair playing field for Filipino rice farmers.&quot; </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAFz8gWM8iRADsJr&amp;cid=ABd0Z2en8Xhyc9ZT"></script>

<p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the suspension of all rice importation for 60 days beginning Sept. 1, 2025, Malacañang said Wednesday.</p>

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the suspension of all rice importation for 60 days beginning Sept. 1, 2025, Malacañang said Wednesday.

Palace: Rice importation suspended for 60 days from September 1

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Palace: Rice importation suspended for 60 days from September 1

Jamaine Punzalan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 06, 2025 09:40 AM PHT

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Updated Aug 06, 2025 08:08 PM PHT

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