The Department of Agriculture said it is prepared to increase rice imports if domestic production fails to meet national demand, but current supplies remain stable despite rising input costs.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. denied allegations that imported rice is being used for the government’s P20-per-kilogram subsidized rice program. Tiu Laurel said the initiative exclusively sources rice from National Food Authority local procurement to support Filipino farmers.
“Totally not true,” he said, adding that imports serve only as a contingency measure rather than a standing policy.
While fuel and fertilizer prices have increased, Tiu Laurel described existing government interventions as sufficient to manage the impact. He dismissed projections of a 20 percent drop in palay production as “worst-case scenarios” that do not account for active policy responses.
Global supply remains favorable due to strong harvests in major exporting nations India and Vietnam, he said. Locally, National Food Authority warehouses are nearly full following a solid harvest, which provides a buffer against potential disruptions.
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