PHILIPPINES TO INCREASE TARIFF ON IMPORTED RICE TO 20 PCT IN JANUARY 2026

MANILA, Dec 17 (Bernama-PNA) -- The Philippines’ Agriculture Department (DA) said the tariffs on imported rice will increase to 20 per cent from the current 15 per cent on Jan 1, 2026, Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported.

This comes as the government prepares for the resumption of rice importation next year, which is currently halted to protect the income of local palay (unhusked rice) farmers during the wet harvest season.

“The tariff increase reflects several realities—the recent depreciation of the peso (Philippine’s currency) and the likelihood of higher global prices once the Philippines reenters the market,” DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a statement Tuesday.

The DA will also waive the usual 10 per cent down payment requirement for the issuance of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearances (SPICs) to ease cash-flow pressures on rice importers.

The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) will also begin processing SPSIC applications to cover 500,000 metric tonnes (MT) import volume, including the 50,000 MT allocation for government agencies.

Tiu Laurel, likewise, urged local rice importers to “diversify” their suppliers and consider other international sources.

“Instead of relying almost entirely on Vietnam, we encourage importers to consider Cambodia, Myanmar and other non-traditional suppliers,” he said.

All shipments of imported rice must arrive by mid-February to ensure reasonable farmgate prices at the onset of the dry harvest season and protect local unhusked rice producers.

Limited rice imports from the January to February window will only cover 17 ports nationwide in Philippines.

These include ports in Manila, Batangas, Tacloban, Bacolod, Iligan, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Zamboanga, Cebu, Iloilo, Capiz, Tagbilaran, Dumaguete, Subic, Calbayog, General Santos and Tabaco.

-- BERNAMA-PNA