Vietnam continues to dominate the rice export market to the Philippines, accounting for nearly 90% of the country’s total rice imports.
Although the Philippines is making efforts to diversify its supply sources, Vietnam remains the main supplier, meeting the majority of the country’s imported rice needs. This heavy reliance highlights Vietnam’s crucial role in ensuring the Philippines’ rice supply, even as the latter seeks alternative suppliers to mitigate risks and enhance food security.
As the world’s largest rice importer, the Philippines is working to expand its rice supply sources beyond Vietnam to ensure stable supply and competitive pricing. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said the government is in discussions with private importers to secure supplies from India, Pakistan, Cambodia, and Myanmar, and is also considering potential cooperation with Indonesia and Thailand.
Although Vietnam remains the most reliable supplier, its dominance—representing 90% of the Philippines’ total rice imports—poses a potential risk in case of supply disruptions. Recently, Vietnamese rice prices have reached their highest level in three months due to surging demand both domestically and internationally.
Ensuring affordable rice prices remains a top priority for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who last year reduced the rice import tariff from 35% to 15% and declared a state of emergency on food security to curb inflation. These measures have helped bring inflation down to its lowest level since 2019, paving the way for potential interest rate cuts.
Secretary Laurel projected that the Philippines’ rice imports in 2025 will fall below 4.5 million tons—lower than the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) forecast of 5.4 million tons—while domestic rice production is expected to reach a record 20.46 million tons.
In a related development, the Philippines is benefiting from a low tariff rate of 17% when exporting to the United States, which could enhance the competitiveness of Philippine products such as seafood compared to regional rivals.