Jamaine Punzalan

People buy from a rice retailer at the Pasig public Market in Pasig City on January 16, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177379769428120250116-rice-retailer-pasig-JC-5.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">People buy from a rice retailer at the Pasig public Market in Pasig City on January 16, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has recommended the imposition of a price cap on imported rice which is reportedly retailing for around P60 per kilo in some areas. </p><p>The agency also warned that prices of other agricultural commodities may rise by P2 per kilo if the oil shock continues, as fuel prices impact logistics. </p><p>Some retailers have been selling imported rice at P55 to P58 per kilogram when the price should just be around P45 to P48 per kilogram, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel said.   </p><p>“Reasonable naman yung kaunting taas dapat but what we are seeing here is hindi reasonable yung pagtaas ng imported rice dahil ang cost niyan mababa pa today,” he said in a chance interview. </p><p>“The price of imported rice should not go beyond P50,”  Tiu-Laurel told reporters. </p><p>“Definitely, may nananamantala that’s why ako ay humihingi ng, nagrekomenda kami na mag-impose ng price cap on imported rice so pinag-aaralan pa yan ng legal,” he said.</p><p>Malacañang has yet to approve the proposal as it has to undergo several reviews of different councils, Tiu-Laurel said.</p><p>“So sa ngayon market intervention ang ginagawa natin and we are making P48 and P45 rice available,” he said.</p><p>“Sa ngayon nasa 36 markets siya in Metro Manila and we are expanding that pa, in Metro Cebu muna.”</p><p>The price cap will not be imposed on locally-produced rice to ensure that Filipino farmers can earn more during this harvest season, the DA chief said.</p><p>Meanwhile, prices of fish are expected to remain stable during the summer months due to large yields, but the DA is also bracing for the lean months should oil shocks in the Middle East continue to hamper supply chains, Tiu-Laurel said.</p><div><strong>FISH, OTHER COMMODITIES</strong></div><p>Laurel said prices are expected to remain stable over the next two months due to adequate supply, but warned of possible market shocks if the conflict stretches beyond May.</p><p>He said commodities may increase by as much as P2 per kilo if fuel prices continue to rise.</p><p>“I want to be practical and honest, we should expect na tataas, but not all [products],” Tiu-Laurel said in an ambush interview.</p><p>He noted that higher fuel costs are expected to drive up logistics and fertilizer expenses, particularly affecting vegetables. The impact on rice prices, meanwhile, may be felt later in the year. </p><p>“Rice and fertilizer cost ngayon will be felt sa September pa kung tuloy-tuloy ‘yan,” he said.</p><p>“‘Yung fertilizer for vegetables, ‘yun talagang tataas ‘yun. We expect na P2 per kilo dahil sa logistics cost ng fuel pa din,” he added.</p><div><strong>READY TO INTERVENE</strong></div><p>The agency said it is ready to intervene to curb price spikes. It recently imported 20 containers of carrots to help stabilize prices and is considering further measures, including a possible price cap on imported rice.</p><p>“Everything is on the table now dahil sa sitwasyon ngayon, we don’t know where it is going,” Laurel said.</p><p>“Kung masyadong mataas at mahihirapan ang consumer, we might have to do something with the prices,” he added.</p><p>The DA has P10 billion in assistance funds for farmers and fisherfolk, and P150 million for fuel subsidies. </p><p>“Kung masyadong mataas at mahihirapan ang consumer, we might have to do something with the prices,” he said. “Baka temporarily wala munang kita ang lahat, at cost muna ang lahat para makatulong sa overall situation ng taumbayan.”</p><p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered agencies to prepare for the impact of the crisis through December 2026.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS: </strong></div><div><iframe width="1023" height="575" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XadrXV0tdkA" title="PH exploring Russia, US as possible oil sources amid supply concern – DOE" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><iframe width="1023" height="575" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zOG2R3iKnsM" title="Global oil prices remain elevated; fuel price hike seen next week | ANC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>The Department of Agriculture (DA) has recommended the imposition of a price cap on imported rice, which is reportedly retailing for around P60 per kilo in some areas. </p>

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has recommended the imposition of a price cap on imported rice, which is reportedly retailing for around P60 per kilo in some areas.

Price cap eyed on imported rice; P2 price hike on commodities possible

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Price cap eyed on imported rice; P2 price hike on commodities possible

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 18, 2026 09:37 AM PHT

|

Updated March 18, 2026 03:02 PM PHT

Read More:

Francisco Tiu-Laurel

Department of Agriculture

DA

rice

oil price hike

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