Rice tariff consultations conclude; draft amendments due by Nov. 10

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said consultations have wrapped up on planned amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law of 2019, with reforms designed to curb high rice prices while offering farmers a fair return on their harvest.

The results of the regional consultations will be incorporated into the draft amendments to be submitted to Congress, the DA said in a statement.

The 2025 Quinta Hearings in the House of Representatives reached a consensus that the 2024 round of amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law (Republic Act 12078) require follow-up measures.

The DA said the amendments are among the 44 priority measures endorsed by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council.

The new set of planned amendments hope to address the erosion of farmer incomes due to cheap imports, the failure of retail prices to reflect the reduction in import costs, and growing dependence on global grain markets.

“We cannot allow our farmers to be the casualties of market inefficiencies and unchecked speculation,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. said. “Our goal is a rice industry that rewards productivity, ensures stability, and protects both producers and consumers.”

The consultation findings will form the basis of the proposed Rice Industry and Consumer Empowerment (RICE) Act. The DA described the legislation as restoring calibrated state intervention in the rice market through the National Food Authority (NFA).

The NFA would regain limited authority to manage the rice inventory, regulate imports, and stabilize prices without reversing trade liberalization.

The draft calls for the establishment of the Philippine Rice Industry Development Program, which will receive an annual allocation of P30 billion from tariff revenue to finance productivity and resilience programs.

The bill will also set a flexible floor price for palay (unmilled rice) to ensure fair returns for farmers and a targeted rice subsidy for low-income consumers.

The final consultations were held in Cagayan de Oro on Oct. 27 and Quezon City on Oct. 28, following earlier sessions in Iloilo. The DA plans to submit a draft to Congress and the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office on Nov. 10.