Rappler's latest stories on rice imports
Philippines to remain world's top rice importer until 2021
The Philippines is expected to import around 2.5 million MT of rice in 2020 and 3.3 million MT in 2021
‘Magtahi ay di biro’: At stitching workshop, advocates tackle farmers’ struggles
Workshop participants create a banner, which they will unfurl at a Valentine's Day demonstration calling for the repeal of the rice tariffication law
[ANALYSIS] Duterte’s ban on rice imports: Enough of these capricious policies
Was rice tariffication a miscalculation by Duterte? Did he not anticipate that rice prices would plummet? Was he ill-advised by the economic team?
Duterte orders suspension of rice importation
The President says he opted to stop the importation of rice as he could not stop rice tariffication, which was needed to 'erase corruption'
Pangilinan urges 'careful study' of proposal to drop rice farming in 23 provinces
'Puwede namang sabay at hindi isa lang ang pagpipilian,' says Senator Francis Pangilinan as the government mulls transitioning 23 provinces from rice farming to raising other crops
Rice industry group wants tighter import regulations
The Bureau of Customs denies allegations that shipments of rice are undervalued
Faster importation of rice seen under tariffication law
The removal of the National Food Authority from the importation process is expected to cut the time needed to process import permits
A Staple Problem? History of rice crisis in the Philippines
While the Philippines is known for its agricultural lands, the country continues to face recurring rice crises over the years
Duterte wants Chinese-Filipino businessman to head NFA
A Chinese-Filipino who has been in the rice business for 'maybe 20 years' may soon be named National Food Authority administrator by President Rodrigo Duterte
After Dominguez-Piñol 'showdown,' Duterte OKs 'open' rice importation
President Rodrigo Duterte sides with Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez who pushed for lifting restrictions on rice importation and letting market forces decide rice supply
Goodbye bukbok? Gov’t to inspect imported rice before shipment to PH
A Department of Agriculture-National Food Authority team will check rice shipments at the source, to ensure the quality of the imported grains to be sold to Filipino consumers
After Piñol slams rice imports, PH to import 1 million MT of rice in 2019
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol previously said the Philippines would have a rice problem if the country relied on imports to meet demand for the staple
Makabayan lawmakers seek House probe into bukbok rice importation
The progressive legislators argue Filipino taxpayers deserve to know how much of their money was spent for the importation of rice infested with weevil or 'bukbok'
Piñol wants special rice imports for Zambasulta area
The proposal comes after Zamboanga City and Basilan both declared a state of calamity over rice prices reaching as high as P70 per kilo
Rice imports fail to tame inflation in July 2018
(UPDATED) The Philippine Statistics Authority says rice inflation rose to 5% in July. The average price of regular milled rice is over P41 per kilo.
Duterte stripped Evasco of powers for being 'too short-sighted'
President Rodrigo Duterte also says the government will import even more rice as he does not believe the Philippines can ever be rice self-sufficient
Gov't to support farmers amid moves to lift rice import quotas
(UPDATED) Lifting rice import quotas means cheaper rice for consumers, but may hurt Filipino farmers if they can't compete with their counterparts in countries like Vietnam
Duterte says 'anybody who has money' allowed to import rice
'My job is to fill our warehouse, our inventory,' says President Rodrigo Duterte, maintaining that the Philippines will ease its rice importation rules
Vietnam PM tells Duterte they can supply PH with rice
President Rodrigo Duterte and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Singapore
Philippines hopes to pass rice tariffication law in 2018
The rice tariffication bill aims to amend the present agricultural policy, which allows the National Food Authority to monopolize rice importation
NFA set to import 250,000 MT tons of rice in May
The National Food Authority reopens government-to-government importation with invitations sent to the embassies of Thailand and Vietnam
Duterte OKs gov't-to-gov't rice importation
National Food Authority chief Jason Aquino has pushed for government-to-government importation but Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr and the NFA Council have fiercely opposed it
House minority leader urges NFA chief Jason Aquino to resign
'Ano pa ang hinihintay mo, 'di ba? Halatang-halata naman ngayon na kumikita ngayon ‘yung mga importer saka ‘yung mga hoarder ng bigas,' House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez tells National Food Authority chief Jason Aquino
Duterte defends NFA chief Jason Aquino: ‘I trust him’
'Ignore the [NFA] Council which is mandated by law, go ahead and make the importations,' President Rodrigo Duterte tells National Food Authority chief Jason Aquino
Tug-of-war between Evasco, NFA's Aquino continues
Jason Aquino scores a win with Duterte's recent order for immediate rice importation but the President still leaves it up to an Evasco-led council to decide on the critical details. Rappler draws up a timeline of the clash between the two.
TIMELINE: Clashes between Evasco and NFA's Aquino
Rappler traces important events marking conflict between the NFA Council, led by Cabinet Secretary Evasco, and NFA chief Jason Aquino, and how President Duterte has mediated between the two
Anti-political dynasty bill, Quo warranto petition vs Sereno, Evasco on rice importation | Evening wRap
Watch the evening newscast with Mara Cepeda
On Duterte's orders, NFA Council speeds up rice procurement
The National Food Authority Council targets the arrival of fresh rice stocks by mid-May
NFA Council activates authority to import 250,000 MT of rice
The importation, to be done through government-to-private method, will be used to replenish the National Food Authority's rice buffer stock for calamities or other emergencies
ICC on Duterte, Poe slams Roque, Malacanang on rice supply | Evening wRap
Watch the evening newscast with Marguerite de Leon
[EDITORIAL] #AnimatED: 'Unli-rice' and unlimited possibilities
It is unrealistic for public officials to expect Filipinos to expand their diet when they have nothing else – except government-supplied rice – to begin with
Did Evasco compel Jason Aquino to toe the line?
Will President Duterte changing his mind about rice importation mean he ll apologize for mistakenly firing Palace undersecretary Halmen Valdez?
After criticisms, Villar clarifies she won't file bill vs unlimited rice
I just voiced out my concern that eating too much rice is one of the main causes of high blood sugar that leads to diabetes Senator Cynthia Villar clarifies in a statement
NFA Council: 250k MT rice to be imported via private traders
UPDATED The Council also introduces changes to the government to private importation scheme to guard against corruption
After Evasco, Go meeting, will NFA issue be resolved soon?
Two of the President s most trusted men have a talk and make a show of friendship Does this mean the rice importation issue will be resolved soon?
Who is NFA chief Jason Aquino and why is he controversial?
The Bureau of Customs published in 2015 a notice to warn the public against transacting with retired army major Jason Aquino, one of a few dozen employees earlier accused in the media of colluding with smugglers
Think tank to Duterte: Allow rice importation, end NFA monopoly
Neither allowing the National Food Authority to solely import rice nor stopping all rice imports is good for the Filipino consumer or the Filipino rice farmer says an economic policy think tank
SWS survey, Valdez on Duterte, Pulitzer Prize | Midday wRap
Watch the midday newscast with Margie de Leon
Duterte orders NFA to prioritize buying rice from PH farmers
President Rodrigo Duterte tells NFA Administrator Jason Aquino who is pushing for government to government rice importation to buy from local farmers instead
Dismissed Usec Valdez to Duterte: Probe 'NFA syndicate'
The dismissed Palace undersecretary asks the President to take a second look at importation schemes proposed by NFA Administrator Jason Aquino an ex coup plotter
NFA head faces sanction for impeding rice importation orders – Evasco
The National Food Authority council has decided to extend the rice importation through minimum access volume scheme from February 28 to March 31
Inflation rises to 2.5% in November
The increase means the country s inflation rate is at its highest level since February 2015
DOF expects October inflation at 2.5%
Benign inflation will continue to support economic growth and steel the economy from external volatilities DOF Undersecretary Gil Beltran says
Inflation rises to 2.3% in September
The September figure – the highest recorded for the year so far – is still within the central bank s forecast of 1 6 to 2 4
Betting against the weather: PH imports 1M tons of rice and hopes it is enough
Local rice output is down so far and government projections that it would rise in the second half of 2016 look misguided given recent weather patterns
Change our rice policy
If the incoming Duterte administration s objective is to make food more affordable then it should go in the opposite direction and make a real change: abolish the NFA s rice monopoly
Diokno to next president: Focus on tax reform, foreign ownership limits
Former budget secretary Benjamin Diokno says President Benigno Aquino III s successor can make major changes to entice foreign investors
NFA: Beware of fake administrator soliciting money
This is not the first time someone has claimed to be the administrator of the National Food Authority
Fake rice: NBI steps in
NFA findings show that the presence of chemicals in the rice samples could not be attributed to mishandling during delivery
April PH imports decline, lowest in 3 months
Capital and consumer goods remain afloat despite the year on year decline the National Economic and Development Authority says
