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MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines officially returned to the international rice market on Jan. 1 after lifting its four-month import ban on the commodity that began last September.

However, the tariff rate to be applied on imported rice will remain at 15 percent as the government has yet to formalize the implementation of a higher tariff rate of 20 percent.

Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) director Gerald Glenn Panganiban recently issued the guidelines on the resumption of rice importation.

Under the guidelines, imported rice will only be allowed to enter through 17 ports nationwide: Subic, Batangas, Manila International Container Port, Port of Manila, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Davao, General Santos, Tacloban, Tabaco in Albay, Zamboanga, Bacolod, Iloilo, Tagbilaran, Dumaguete and Calbayog.

Rice imports must arrive in the country within 60 days from the issuance of their respective sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance (SPSIC).

“Shipments beyond the prescribed period shall not be accepted and are required to be returned to the country of origin at the expense of the importer,” Panganiban said in the guidelines approved by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.

This means that rice imports are expected to arrive by the end of February, according to agriculture officials.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) earlier announced that 500,000 metric tons of rice will be allowed to enter the country during this period.

The DA is still managing the entry of rice imports in the market in its bid to protect local farmers’ prices.

“The DA and rice industry stakeholders have since agreed on tighter import management, particularly during the summer harvest, when domestic production peaks and millers are expected to help support farmgate prices,” it said.

The BPI has waived the 10-percent downpayment requirement for SPSICs of the new rice import shipments, which industry players note would ease the financial burden on rice importers.

Thailand’s Office for Commercial Affairs in Manila said the resumption of rice imports in the Philippines is a “positive” development and opportunity for Thai rice exporters, which have been one of the traditional suppliers of the commodity to the country.

The country imported almost 3.37 million metric tons of rice last year, about 30 percent lower than the 4.81 million metric tons recorded in 2024 due to the four-month import ban, BPI data showed.

For his part, Raul Montemayor of the Federation of Free Farmers said the BPI must clarify the guidelines to avoid misinterpretations that may lead to violations of the rules.

In another development, the FFF and Magsasaka party-list group will file an administrative complaint before the ombudsman against Panganiban and Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno today for allowing the entry of imported rice even after President Marcos ordered the import ban on Sept. 1.

Source : msn