MANILA — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has directed the extension of the rice import ban, originally covering September 1 to November 2, to support Filipino farmers and stabilize rice prices.

“Bilang suporta sa ating mga magsasaka, mas mahabang rice import ban isinusulong ni Pangulong Marcos Jr.,” Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said during a press briefing on Friday.

“Sa ilalim ng direktiba ng Pangulo, pahahabain pa ang two-month import suspension na magtatapos dapat sa November 2,” she added.

Castro said the order aims to promote the welfare of farmers who continue to provide food for Filipino families and to stabilize palay prices in the market.

“Ang hakbang na ito ng Pangulo ay pagtaguyod sa kapakanan ng mga magsasaka na patuloy sa pagtatrabaho upang may maihain sa hapag kainan ang bawat pamilyang Filipino,” she said.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. earlier announced that the Department of Agriculture has been directed to prepare the necessary orders to extend the import freeze.

The DA said the extension of the two-month rice import suspension, along with raising tariffs on imported rice, is intended to stabilize palay prices and protect farmers during the peak of the harvest season.

The import suspension was initially imposed to help farmers recover from falling palay prices caused by a surge in cheaper imported rice. According to the DA, palay prices briefly rose from PhP8 per kilo to around PhP14 per kilo before dropping again due to the main harvest and the effects of heavy rains.