The Department of Agriculture (DA) has urged rice industry stakeholders in Vietnam to “rethink” plans against the Philippines over its impending 60-day rice import ban, starting on September 1, 2025.
This came after the Vietnamese rice industry reportedly requested their government to file a complaint against the Philippines in the World Trade Organization (WTO), due to the effects of the two-month import halt.
However, some Philippine agricultural stakeholders said the WTO has lost its relevance in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s unilateral and reciprocal tariff policies. Other farmers’ groups differed over the way Tiu Laurel reacted to Vietnam’s issues, saying the issue could have been handled more discreetly.
In an interview, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the Marcos administration merely opted for a “protective measure” for local palay (unhusked rice) farmers amid the approaching wet harvest season.
“ We are just doing what we need to do to protect our farmers,” he said at the sidelines of a hearing at the House of Representatives committee on agriculture, on Wednesday, August 20.
The local palay harvest is set to begin in September and peak in October.
“It’s not the government. But my message or the warning to the (Vietnamese) local industry, huwag namang ganyan, dalawang buwan na lang naman (don’t be like that, it’s just for two months),” he said.
“Sana mag-isip din sila (We hope they will also think this through). We are just doing what we need to do to protect our farmers,” Tiu Laurel said.
The DA earlier said the country has built a high volume of rice inventory this year, the bulk of which consisted of imported rice stocks, which have contributed to the decline in farmgate prices of palay.
The Philippines also secured a record-high palay harvest in the first semester of the year, reaching over 9.077 million metric tons (MT).
Tiu Laurel said the government may even extend the import ban to 90 days during the peak of the harvest season.
“Kapag kasagsagan ng harvest, may chance na bumaba na naman ang palay (During the peak of harvest, there’s a chance farmgate prices will plunge). And if you extend it, then we might see an increase or maintain yung price ng palay (maintain the palay prices),” he said.
“That’s why we might restrict the supply of imported rice longer if necessary, para nga bilhin ng Pilipino iyong local rice natin tsaka ‘yung bagong harvest natin (so that Filipinos will buy our local rice and our newly harvested rice),” he explained.
The agriculture chief added that the Philippines may opt for alternative sources of imported rice if relations with Vietnam’s industry deteriorate.
“Ang power naman natin unfortunately is tayo ang pinakamalaking market ngayon sa rice. So, kung ganyan lang magiging relasyon natin (Our power is that, unfortunately, we are currently the biggest market for rice. So, if that will be our relationship with them), I’d rather buy rice from another source,” Tiu-Laurel said.
