Bongbong doubles down on farm aid, extends rice ban

The government has extended the rice import ban until the end of the year to help stabilize prices and protect local farmers, with the Department of Agriculture (DA) assuring consumers that national supply will remain adequate.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. confirmed on Sunday that President Ferdinand Jr. approved the two-month extension and that the Executive Order formalizing it will be released on Monday, 3 November.

“With the import ban having little impact on retail prices and supply of rice but a significant effect on the farmgate price of palay, President Marcos deemed it necessary to extend the suspension for two more months,” Tiu Laurel said.

The President initially ordered a two-month suspension of rice imports in September to counter the sharp decline in palay prices ahead of the wet harvest season.

While the move initially boosted farmgate prices, the gains began to taper off as the suspension neared its expiry.

Tiu Laurel said the extension is a necessary measure to provide sustained support to local producers, maintain market stability, and allow a more comprehensive assessment of the policy’s effects.

“With harvests still ongoing in several regions, the extended import ban, together with the rollout of the Sagip Saka program and the establishment of a floor price for palay, should help support struggling rice farmers,” he added.

Depressed farmgate pricing

The agriculture chief earlier told senators that over-importation and poor-quality harvests in some areas, worsened by bad weather, had depressed farmgate prices.

The extended suspension, he said, aims to sustain support for local farmers while continuing to ensure stable supply and prices for consumers.

Department projections show that rice availability will remain sufficient even under a 120-day import suspension.

Conservative estimates place supply at 89 days by year-end, while more optimistic forecasts project up to 92 days, based on per capita consumption of 122.7 kilograms per year — an improvement from just 58 days’ worth of stocks recorded at the end of 2024.

Despite the suspension, retail prices have remained broadly stable.

The DA’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service projects that by November, well-milled rice will average around P42 per kilo, while regular-milled rice will hover near P40.

Tiu Laurel said the extension, alongside the Sagip Saka program and the establishment of a palay floor price, would allow the government to better evaluate the ban’s impact while “continuing to shield local farmers from the downward pressure of cheaper imports.”