Manila: The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Friday announced its intention to propose an extension of at least two weeks to the current rice import ban. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. had initially approved a 60-day suspension of rice imports from September 1 to October 30, aligning with the peak wet season palay harvest.

According to Philippines News Agency, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. stated that the measure has positively impacted farmgate prices of palay, bringing direct benefits to Filipino farmers. Laurel noted the improvement in farmgate prices, which had previously fallen to PHP8 to PHP10 per kg before the ban, now reaching PHP17 per kg in some areas of Mindanao.

Despite the increase, farmgate prices remain unprofitable in some regions, where the production cost of palay stands at PHP14 per kg. In provinces such as Isabela and Nueva Ecija, prices have risen to PHP13 to PHP14 per kilo. While these prices still pose challenges for most farmers, they represent an improvement over previous figures.

The agriculture secretary emphasized that the volume of imported rice continues to be a significant factor affecting traders' buying prices for palay. As of September 11, a total of 3.08 million metric tons of imported rice had entered the country, facilitated by 3,574 issued sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances.

The DA had previously allowed only the entry of imported rice shipped from the country of origin on or before August 31, with arrival permissible until September 15. The department is scheduled to submit its recommendation regarding the extension or lifting of the import ban on September 30.