Rice tariff rate stays at 15% until MarchUnless world prices fall below $370/MTMANILA, Philippines — Rice tariff will remain at 15 percent, the lowest on record, until the end of first quarter unless international prices fall below $370 per metric ton (MT), a ranking agriculture official said. Department of Agriculture (DA) Assistant Secretary and spokesman Arnel de Mesa said the threshold established by the government to increase rice tariffs has not yet been breached. Furthermore, De Mesa disclosed that the next round of review whether to increase the rice tariff rate or not will be in April with March serving as its reference price point. President Marcos issued late last year Executive Order 105 that sought to establish a flexible rice tariff mechanism depending on prevailing international prices as a way to protect local farmers’ income. The Philippines officially returned to the international rice market last Jan. 1 with imports as of Jan. 22 reaching around 247,272 MT.

Source: Philippine Star January 28, 2026 16:40 UTC