Philippine spending on rice imports dropped 91.9 percent to $16.63 million in December 2025 from a year ago, as global prices cooled, Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data showed.
Average world rice prices eased 22 percent to $394.84 per metric ton from a year earlier. The figures, which cover January 2023 to December 2025, indicate that while global prices spiked above $600 per metric ton in early 2024, the country’s import bills remained highly volatile.
Philippine import spending reached a peak of nearly $300 million in October 2024 before gradually tapering throughout 2025.
Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) revised data showed the Philippines imported about 3.39 million metric tons (MT) of rice in 2025.
This represents a roughly 30-percent drop from the 4.8 million MT imported in 2024. Officials attributed the decline to a suspension of imports late in the year and higher domestic rice output.
Department of Agriculture (DA) officials project 2026 rice imports to range between 3.6 million and 3.8 million metric tons (MMT). While these figures remain below the 2024 record highs, the volume is intended to ensure supply stability as domestic production is anticipated to hit a record 20.3 MMT.
Analysts said the steep decline in spending reflects policy adjustments and a slowdown in global market prices. The trend could help stabilize local rice markets and ease pressure on the government’s import budget.
The PSA said the data reflect the average world price of rice sourced from Thailand and Vietnam, with import values excluding the cost of husk or rough rice.
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