The Philippines has adjusted its import tariffs on rice, which will take effect in 2026

Philippine President Marcos Jr. has formulated guidelines for adjusting rice tariffs. Measures to adjust rice tariffs based on fluctuations in international prices will come into effect next year. The previous 15% import tariff on rice has been extended to the end of this year.

Bloomberg reported that Marcos Jr. issued an executive order on Sunday (November 9), stating that starting from January 1, 2026, for every 5% drop in international rice prices, import tariffs will increase by 5 percentage points. For every 5% increase in international rice prices, import tariffs will be reduced by 5 percentage points.

However, according to the executive order, "the most-favored-nation tariff rate on rice shall not be lower than 15% or higher than 35% under any circumstances, whether within or outside the quota."

Marcos Jr. also established an interdepartmental team to formulate detailed implementation rules for rice tariffs and monitor and adjust rice import taxes in accordance with changes in world prices.

The Philippines, the world's largest rice importer, has recently banned rice imports until the end of this year to protect Filipino farmers, especially during the peak rice season.

Data from the Department of Agriculture of the Philippines shows that as of the end of September, the Philippines has imported 3.5 million tons of rice this year, which is about 800,000 tons more than the actual demand.

According to a report by the United States Department of Agriculture in September, the Philippines is expected to purchase 5 million tons of rice in the 2025-26 season, which is lower than the 5.43 million tons in the 2024-25 season, but still exceeds the purchase volume of importing countries such as China.