Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said Wednesday the agency is in discussions with envoys from Pakistan and India to secure commitments for a combined 2 million metric tons (MT) of rice, ensuring the Philippines can meet its import needs if required.
Tiu Laurel said talks with Pakistan were nearing completion, with a memorandum of understanding expected to allocate up to 1 million MT of rice annually—equivalent to 25 percent of the Philippines’ rice import requirement. Similar negotiations with India are ongoing, he said.
“The intention is to create a level playing field among our rice supplying nations,” Tiu Laurel said during a consultation meeting with rice traders at the Intercity Industrial Estate in Bocaue, Bulacan.
“We want them to compete for our market,” he said during a consultation with rice traders at the Intercity Industrial Estate in Bulacan.
The initiative supports President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s strategy to diversify rice sources and reduce costs for consumers.
While Vietnam remains the Philippines’ top supplier, with its commitment to a five-year rice quota of 1.5 to 2 million metric tons, broadening partnerships is seen as a way to stabilize supply and pricing.
Intercity rice traders pledged during the consultation in Bocaue their support for the DA’s Rice-for-All program.
They committed to selling rice at P40 per kilo through the KADIWA ng Pangulo initiative. Their commitment will help the DA reach its target of 300 KADIWA kiosks offering affordable rice in public markets and transport hubs by mid-January.
Tiu Laurel underscored the DA’s collaboration with rice traders and international suppliers as essential to ensuring food security and affordability.
