President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the suspension of all rice importation for 60 days beginning September 1, 2025.
“To protect local farmers reeling from low palay prices during this current harvest season, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. today announced the suspension of all rice importation for 60 days beginning Sept. 1, 2025,” Presidential Communications Office Secretary Dave Gomez said in a message to reporters on Wednesday.
Gomez said the President issued the directive after consultations with Cabinet members during his five-day state visit to India and upon the recommendation of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tui-Laurel Jr.
The Department of Agriculture earlier pushed for higher tariffs on imported rice to address the sharp drop in palay prices despite record-high local production.
Previously, the Marcos administration reduced rice tariffs to 15% to ease the burden on consumers amid soaring global rice prices at that time.
The Federation of Free Farmers (FFF), however, criticized what it called the government’s delay in implementing measures to protect local rice farmers. The group said many farmers have already been driven into debt, with some questioning whether it is still worth planting rice at all.