August 18, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Palay farmgate costs have began to rise in practically half of the nation’s key rice-producing areas, climbing by round 5 to 55 centavos per kilo, figures from authorities businesses confirmed.
In an announcement over the weekend, the Division of Agriculture (DA) mentioned information from the Nationwide Meals Authority (NFA) indicated that six of the 13 top-growing areas are already seeing value beneficial properties.
NFA monitoring exhibits merchants’ shopping for costs for dry palay elevated by 0.3 to 2.6 p.c since late July, simply earlier than President Marcos ordered the import ban.
With that, the DA mentioned common shopping for costs for dry palay now vary from P16.98 per kilo in Central Luzon to P20.59 in Southern Mindanao.
In the meantime, costs remained regular in Southern Tagalog at P16.52 and in Western Visayas at P17.60.
Alternatively, declines have been noticed in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Jap Visayas, Northern Mindanao and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Area in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the place the bottom value recorded was P14.43 per kilo in Cagayan Valley and the very best at P21.67 in BARMM.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. mentioned the federal government is carefully monitoring the market’s response to the rice import suspension, which takes impact on Sept. 1.
The measure was ordered after palay costs fell to as little as P8 per kilo, nicely beneath the estimated P12 manufacturing price for probably the most environment friendly farmers.
“We’re watching the market’s response to the rice import suspension very carefully,” Tiu Laurel mentioned.
“If palay costs stay low throughout the ban, we might take into account extending it, or advocate that President Marcos enhance tariffs. And if costs rise, we might shorten the ban,” he added.
For his half, NFA administrator Larry Lacson famous that the rise is modest and a optimistic signal for farmers.
