MANILA—President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered a 60-day suspension of rice importation starting September 1, 2025, to address the steep decline in palay (unmilled rice) prices and protect local farmers during the harvest season.

“To protect local farmers reeling from low palay prices during this current harvest season, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. today announced the suspension of all rice importation for 60 days beginning Sept. 1, 2025,” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Dave M. Gomez said in a statement on Wednesday.

The President issued the directive following consultations with Cabinet members during his five-day State Visit to India from August 4 to 8, and upon the recommendation of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., Gomez said.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) reported that the global rice market is seeing a surge in supply due to bumper harvests worldwide, the lifting of India’s rice export ban, and a record-high domestic production of 9.08 million metric tons of palay in the first half of the year. These factors have contributed to a drop in rice prices from exporting countries.

“With cheaper imports flooding the market, reports indicate that some private traders are now buying palay for as low as PhP8 to PhP10 per kilo, well below the production cost of PhP12 to PhP14 per kilo. Farmers have attributed this sharp decline to the influx of cheaper imported rice,” the DA said in a statement on Tuesday.

On Monday, Gomez disclosed that the DA had recommended not only a temporary halt to rice imports but also a gradual increase in rice tariffs—from the current 15 percent back to 35 percent.

Malacañang on Tuesday asserted that President Marcos has the constitutional authority to adjust tariffs, including those on rice imports.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro explained that while Congress holds the power to impose tariffs, it can delegate this authority to the President to ensure swift responses to economic challenges.

“Sa panahon ng krisis, kailangang may flexibility ang Pangulo para makapag-adjust agad. Kung tatanggalin ang kapangyarihan niyang ito, magiging mahirap ang mabilis na pagtugon,” Castro told reporters in New Delhi during a press briefing.