DA: Less rice imported for Q1 2025
CEBU, Philippines — A significant drop of rice imports in the country in the first quarter of 2025 as compared to the same period last year had been noted by the Department of Agriculture (DA).
From January to mid-March of 2025, rice imports saw only 641,000 metric tons (MT) as against 1.2 million metric tons recorded in the first quarter last year.
Month-by-month data shows January’s volume dropping to 277,000 MT from last year’s 430,000 MT, February’s declining to 267,000 MT from 342,000 MT, and just 97,000 MT recorded in the first half of March --a sharp decrease compared to the 415,000 MT imported in the entire March of 2024, the DA said
“Ibig sabihin nito, malaki talaga yung pumasok na imported na bigas last year, plus expectations na magiging maganda ang harvest this year,” Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said.
He cited a report by Indian-American agricultural economist Samarendu Mohanty, highlighting policy changes in India and the Philippines in late 2024 as key factors in reshaping the global rice market.
India’s decision to lift the import ban on non-basmati white rice, along with DA’s “aggressive” market reforms under Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., helped drive global rice prices down from their recent highs, De Mesa said.
The implementation of a Maximum Suggested Retail Price on rice, intensified efforts against smuggling and hoarding, and stricter price monitoring in markets are among the measures taken by the government.
“Nagiging predictive na ngayon ang pangangailangan sa imported rice, which can be manifested dito sa mga datos ng mga pumapasok na imported na bigas sa bansa,” De Mesa said.
Aside from rice, the DA also noted a decrease of imported onions.
Import data for onions showed that 986 MT of yellow onions and 2,300 MT of red onions arrived in the country.
“For onion, ang pumasok na puting sibuyas, mula sa inapprove na 1,000 MT, 986 lang ang pumasok. Sa pulang sibuyas, ang pumasok ay 2,300 MT mula sa 3,000 MT na ini-expect,” he added. — (FREEMAN)
- Latest
