Is the Filipino palate changing? The Department of Agriculture (DA) thinks so.
The DA has ordered a study into the changing rice preferences among Filipinos as imported varieties, particularly from Vietnam, gain more ground in the local market.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said Friday that he ordered the Rice Industry Development Office (RIDO), led by Undersecretary Christopher Morales, to study the trend and assess its implications on local production.
“This trend is worth watching. It may be telling us something important about what Filipino consumers are looking for,” Tiu Laurel said. “It may now be a question of quality over quantity, and that could require a shift in our agricultural policy.”
He noted that the rising popularity of imported rice may signal consumers’ growing preference for quality—especially in terms of texture, aroma, and overall eating experience.
Morales said preliminary studies have compared Vietnamese rice with local inbred varieties. “I think, in terms of quality, we have the varieties to compete with imported rice—if that is what the market requires,” he said.
A study led by the Rice Chemistry and Food Science Division and PhilRice Deputy Executive Director Flordeliza Bordey compared Vietnam’s award-winning Soc Trang 25 (ST25) with local varieties.
Results showed that several inbred types under the RCEF program—including Rc 218, Rc 160, Rc 480, and Rc 512—as well as some NSIC-released hybrids, share characteristics with the premium Vietnamese grain.
ST25 was named the world’s best rice in 2019 in Manila and is known for its long grains, pandan-jasmine aroma, superior taste, short cultivation period, and resistance to salinity and disease.
Vietnam supplied 74 percent of the Philippines’ rice imports last year, with varieties DT8 and OM5451 the most popular, according to the Vietnam Trade Office in Manila.
The DA said 13 local varieties, including Rc 160, could guide breeders in developing high-yielding, resilient, premium-quality rice that can compete with imports in local and international markets.
