The Philippines secured a supply agreement with Vietnam for a total of 1.5 million metric tons (MT) of rice at a fixed rate of $450 per MT, as the government looks to bolster local supplies of the staple grain amid potential production challenges later this year. In a statement on Friday, May 8,...
Senator Risa Hontiveros has called on the Senate to conduct a thorough and immediate investigation into the “sudden and aggressive” rice importation of Planters Products Inc. (PPI), noting that the agency’s latest questionable moves could further hurt the country’s farmers already reeling...
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is aiming to expand the domestic swine population by one million heads to nearly 10 million this year, as it begins implementing its ₱1.6-billion swine repopulation program aimed at reducing the country’s reliance on pork imports. The DA’s target for the...
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is evaluating a restriction on monthly rice import volumes of up to 200,000 metric tons (MT) from June to October to ensure adequate domestic supply without collapsing farmgate prices. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. told Manila Bulletin that the...
The Philippines is preparing to increase its foreign rice purchases this year as the government moves to stabilize domestic supply and temper price volatility for Filipinos ' main food staple. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said the country is ready to scale up shipments from its...
The country’s meat imports in the first two months increased by nearly a quarter to more than 290,000 metric tons (MT), as traders looked to strengthen inventories despite sufficient domestic output. The latest data from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) showed that total meat imports from...
The country’s rice imports in the first quarter rose by nearly 37 percent to more than one million metric tons (MT) compared to a year ago, according to the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI). The latest BPI data showed that rice imports from January to March reached 1.26 million MT, higher than the...
The Philippines is poised to increase its corn imports to nearly two million metric tons this marketing year as recovering livestock sector and expanding industrial demand outpace local harvests, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. In a report published last week, the USDA...
The Philippines’ rice imports may increase to over five million metric tons (MT) in the upcoming marketing year (MY) 2026-2027 to plug the shortfall in domestic production, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In a report, the USDA estimated that the country’s rice...
Senator Imee Marcos expressed concern over the use of imported rice for the government’s “P20 rice” program despite the ongoing harvest season and the absence of any declared supply shortage. Marcos said that some officials appear to be prioritizing profit over protecting the welfare of...
The Philippines’ goods trade with the rest of the world grew faster in February, ahead of the conflict in the Middle East posing a threat to the country’s exports. The latest preliminary Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data on Friday, March 27, showed that total external trade rose 10.7...
President Marcos has issued Executive Order (EO) No. 105, which maintains the 15 percent tariff rate on imported rice until the end of 2025 and introduces a mechanism to adjust rates based on international market prices starting next year. The EO, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on...
