The Department of Agriculture (DA) has cautioned rice millers and importers against groups peddling fake import “allocations,” calling the scheme a scam and reiterating that the government’s rice-import moratorium remains in effect until 31 December.

The DA reported one sample form circulating among stakeholders uses official-sounding language and references past import volumes, implying inclusion in a “food security program in 2026.” The DA said the document is fraudulent and urged industry players to immediately report any similar solicitations.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said his office has received reports of individuals circulating solicitation forms, particularly in Cebu, claiming that signatories would be allowed to import rice as early as December and receive guaranteed volumes.

He dismissed these claims as fraudulent, noting that no such allocations exist while the moratorium is in place.

“This is fake news, this is a scam,” he said. “We are on to you.”

Ban drives palay prices higher

The import freeze, ordered by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in September, was intended to support farmgate prices after palay in major producing provinces fell to around P8 per kilo.

The ban helped prices recover to P13–P14 per kilo in areas such as Isabela and Nueva Ecija, though the DA later extended the moratorium amid renewed price softening during peak harvest.