Farmers’ group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) urged the government to implement a P5-per-kilo support price for palay and restore higher tariffs on imported rice as farmgate prices remain low.
Despite the rice import ban, palay prices hover at P10 to P12 per kilo, with some areas reporting as low as P8, sparking concerns as the peak harvest season approaches.
SINAG secretary general Jayson Cainglet warned that traders have stopped buying in certain provinces, leaving farmers vulnerable.
He proposed using the P4 billion excess collection from the Rice Tariffication Law to fund direct cash subsidies for farmers.
The Department of Agriculture, meanwhile, is eyeing a 15- to 30-day extension of the rice import moratorium as preliminary data show slight price recoveries in some regions.
Source: PhilNews24 | September 24, 2025
