Rice tariff collection hits P16 billion in 9 months

MANILA, Philippines — Rice tariff collection from January to September this year rose by a fifth on an annual basis to nearly P16 billion, driven by higher imported volume and a weaker peso.

Total rice tariff collected during the nine-month period hit P15.95 billion, up by P2.75 billion from the P13.2 billion recorded in the same period a year ago, based on preliminary Bureau of Customs (BOC) data.

BOC data showed that rice import volume in the nine months to September reached almost 4.2 million metric tons, about a quarter more than the 3.36 million MT recorded last year.

The average foreign exchange rate during the reference period stood at P60.5 to a dollar, almost six percent weaker than the P57.11:$1 recorded in the same period last year, based on BOC figures.

On a quarterly basis, the country imported the most rice in the second quarter at 5.8 million MT followed by 5.35 million in the third quarter. Around 4.8 million MT of rice were imported in the first quarter.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) earlier said rice imports would not be suspended this year to augment the country’s grain supplies amid looming threats of El Niño.

The nine-month rice tariff collection has already surpassed the nearly P14 billion tariffs collected from imported rice for the entire 2025.

The government suspended rice imports last year for a total of four months beginning September. Rice imports resumed at the start of this year.

For this year, the DA expects total rice import volume to reach over five million MT as the government keeps importation open to ensure sufficient stocks of the staple amid projected lackluster local output due to the effects of El Niño.

DA Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said agency projections showed the country would have a 75-day supply of rice by the end of the year to withstand the effects of El Niño. The DA is projecting a 700,000 MT reduction in total rice production this year because of El Niño.

The Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department (CPBRD) earlier flagged that the persisting shortfall in rice tariff collection would cause additional strain on the government’s fiscal space as the revenue gap would be plugged by other sources.

CPBRD noted that rice tariff collection has remained below the P30-billion target to sustainably support the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF).

Since 2019, the government has been earmarking collected tariffs from imported rice for the development and modernization of the local rice industry through the RCEF.

The annual appropriated RCEF budget has been increased to P30 billion from

P10 billion following the enactment of Republic Act 12078. Under RA 12078, the P30 billion is a guaranteed budget allocation regardless if rice tariff collection falls short of the amount.

The law stipulated that the shortfall in collection would be sourced from the existing budget of the DA.

“Should tariff collections remain below the mandated RCEF allocation, the shortfall may need to be covered by other sources of government revenues, placing additional pressure on the national budget and increasing reliance on taxpayer-funded resources,” CPBRD said.

The P30-billion RCEF is used to support farm mechanization, high-quality seed production, cash assistance, rice farmer training and extension, among others.