DA vows higher tariff for rice imports to tame retail prices

By Stephanie Sevillano, Philippine News Agency

TARIFF TALK. Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. (Left) leads a press briefing in Quezon City on Thursday (Nov. 6, 2025). Tiu Laurel said the Philippines will resume importing rice by January next year with a new tariff rate that will be determined next month. (Photo: PNA/Facebook)

MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Thursday said it will recommend higher tariff for imported rice, after the Economic Development Council approved a flexible tariff measure from 15 to 35 percent to ensure stable prices of palay and retail rice in the country.

In an ambush interview, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said although they will not recommend an outright reversion to the 35-percent tariff, the new rate will be higher than the current levels.

“Kung hindi tayo magpi-15 (If we will not impose a) percent, minimum 20 percent, maybe 25 percent,” he said.

Tiu Laurel said a DA working group is set to meet in December to determine the new tariff rate.

“Ang deadline namin para ma-determine itong (Our deadline to determine the) right tariff by January 1 would be by December 15,” he said.

The flexible tariff scheme will be beneficial in sustaining reasonable prices of retail rice in local markets, as well as protecting local rice producers from plunging farmgate prices, the DA chief said.

“Kung mababa masyado ang world price ng palay, dapat ang taripa ay (If the world prices of palay are very low, the tariffs should be at) 35 percent,” Tiu Laurel said.

“Pero kung tumaas ulit to 720 dollars per ton ang presyo ng palay, dapat bumababa iyan ng (But if it spikes to USD720 per ton, it should be lowered to) 15 percent to maintain a stable price of palay for the farmers and for the Filipino people.”

For next year, Tiu Laurel said they aim to impose the flexible tariff scheme to further tame retail prices.

“Nasa menu namin ng diskarte iyan. Ang target price natin sa (That’s included in our strategies. Our target price) rice for next year should be PHP38 to PHP43,” he said.

As of Wednesday, the prevailing price of premium or 5-percent broken imported rice in Metro Manila is at PHP50/kg, with prices ranging from PHP43 to PHP55/kg, according to the DA-Bantay Presyo (price watch).

The prevailing price of imported well-milled rice, meanwhile, is pegged at PHP40/kg and PHP38.67/kg for imported regular-milled rice.

For the prevailing price of local rice, the premium variety sells for PHP50/kg, well-milled for PHP40/kg, and regular milled for PHP38/kg.