Philippines suspends rice imports for 60 days from Sept 1

MANILA — Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has officially ordered the suspension of rice imports for 60 days from September 1 to protect farmers amid robust local production during the harvest season.

The order on Saturday covers the import of regular milled and well-milled rice and excludes varieties not commonly produced locally.

The import halt will end on October 30, but the government may opt to shorten or extend the suspension period “as may be necessary,” according to the order.

The Philippines, among the world’s largest buyers of rice, imported 4.8 million metric tonnes last year, with Southeast Asian neighbors Vietnam and Thailand among its key suppliers. — Reuters