Gov’t to review rice tariffs ahead of harvest season

The government is reviewing the lower tariffs on imported rice ahead of the local harvest season next month, according to the presidential palace.

“To ensure our farmers are not significantly affected (by lower tariffs), this will be reviewed… Once the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) provides a detailed report, it will be forwarded to the Office of the Executive Secretary for submission to the President,” Presidential Communications Office (CO) Undersecretary Clarissa A. Castro said at a Palace briefing in mixed English and Filipino.

Executive Order (EO) No. 62, which took effect in July 2024, lowered import tariffs on rice to 15% from 35% until 2028 to tame inflation.

Under the EO, the rice tariff is subject to a review by the NEDA every four months.

Despite the implementation of lower tariffs, prices of rice have remained elevated in local markets.

According to the Agriculture department’s price monitoring of Metro Manila markets as of March 22, a kilogram of imported special rice was priced around PHP 50 to PHP 60, slightly lower than the PHP 57 to PHP 65 a year ago.

Local well-milled rice is now priced at PHP 38 to PHP 54 per kilo versus PHP 49 to PHP 58 a year ago. Regular milled rice is priced at PHP 32 to PHP 49 per kilo versus PHP 50 a year ago.

The Tariff Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing on March 28 to tackle the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura’s (SINAG) petition seeking to raise the rice tariff back to 35%.

SINAG Executive Director Jayson H. Cainglet said in a Viber message the Tariff Commission would likely raise tariffs due to admissions from agencies such as NEDA and the Bureau of Customs that rice prices remain high despite the lower tariffs.

“We cannot see how the Tariff Commission will decide otherwise,” he said. “And they should explain if they will decide otherwise, on what basis? What data will they use?”

Former Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said lower tariffs will help bring down prices of rice.

“While imported rice is more than enough, the problem remains having high rice prices in the market… The reason why tariffs were lowered was due to spiraling rice prices and I believe that lowering tariffs will contribute to lower rice prices,” he said in a Viber message.

Mr. Dar said the government should also ramp up efforts against hoarding and price manipulation.

“The key problem now for the government to handle is the alleged hoarding and price manipulation,” Mr. Dar said. “Smuggling is another issue to be handled squarely.”

Former Agriculture Undersecretary Fermin D. Adriano backed a review of the lower tariffs on rice.

“For as long as the decision is based on sound analysis such as considering the impact on producers, consumers and the economy and not on political consideration alone, (a review on rice tariffs) should be done,” he said in a Viber message. — JVDO