Food Security Emergency Declared: Addressing Imported Rice Price Surge and Stabilizing Rice Market

The price decrease in imported rice was also observed in the Batong Malake Public Market in Los Baños, Laguna. The average retail price range of imported rice in the area decreased from Php56 – Php60 per kg in the previous week to Php54 – Php58 per kg on February 10, 2025. Aside from the MRSP, retailers also attributed the price decrease to the increase in the volume of imported rice stocks sold by the traders, with the average wholesale price decreasing from Php1300 per sack in January to Php1100  in February.

• Widespread Adoption of SARAI

The Department of Science and Technology Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) funded two projects that focused on the widespread adoption of the  Smarter Approaches to Reinvigorate Agriculture as an Industry in the Philippines (SARAI). SARAI is a research program that was implemented to develop crop advisories tailored for rice, corn, banana, coconut, coffee, cacao, sugarcane, soybean, and tomato. These advisories integrate local weather data and drought forecasts with farm management practices, emphasizing nutrient and water management and proactive pest and disease monitoring.

The University of the Philippines Los Baños – School of Environmental Science and Management (UPLB-SESAM) implements the two new projects. One of the projects aims to boost stakeholder engagement and adoption of SARAI systems and technologies through capacity building and communication campaigns. By utilizing various channels for knowledge transfer, the project supports existing SARAI initiatives and responds to the growing interest of local and national agencies in climate-smart agriculture. It actively participates in exhibits, forums, and orientations while conducting training sessions and forming partnerships with interested organizations. These efforts will continue until expected completion in April 2025, ensuring wider adoption and sustained impact of SARAI innovations in Philippine agriculture.

The other project aims to institutionalize the SARAI Integrated Crop Monitoring and Forecasting (ICMF) system through policy advocacy and legislative processes. The project seeks to formalize SARAI as a national program through policy instruments such as an Executive Order and a legislative bill by engaging key stakeholders from government agencies, legislative bodies, and academic institutions. Institutionalizing SARAI will ensure long-term support for Filipino farmers by providing real-time crop monitoring and forecasting information to improve decision-making and agricultural productivity.

As of February 2025, the project established advisory and technical working groups (TWGS), built partnerships with key stakeholders, and conducted advocacy initiatives to promote adoption of SARAI. A legislative measure has also been filed to support its institutionalization. Moving forward, efforts will focus on finalizing stakeholder engagement, producing advocacy materials, and securing policy endorsements. The project is set for completion in November 2025, ensuring the integration of SARAI ICMF into national agricultural policy.

• Strengthening Tech Transfer and Commercialization

Another DOST-PCAARRD-funded project implemented by PhilRice aims to strengthen technology transfer and commercialization by partnering with local manufacturers and institutions to accelerate rice innovation adoption. Under the project, PhilRice conducted training workshops, facilitated technology licensing agreements, supported commercialization efforts, developed an S&T Park, filed IP applications, and engaged with stakeholders. The project aims to boost rice sector productivity by enhancing industry collaboration and dissemination, promote agribusiness development, and ensure technologies reach end-users efficiently.

Market Outlook

The current rice market remains highly volatile, with prices of special rice reaching Php65 per kg for imported and Php63 per kg for local in January before beginning to decline following government interventions such as the maximum suggested retail price (MSRP), NFA stock releases, and stricter monitoring measures. Despite these efforts, retailer compliance remains a challenge, and logistical issues affect supply distribution. Meanwhile, palay farmgate prices have dropped significantly in Pangasinan, with freshly harvested palay falling from Php27-Php28 per kg in 2024 to Php17.50 per kg in 2025. This decline has prompted farmers to store their harvests instead of selling them immediately, delaying cash flow and potentially affecting future production. Consumers may benefit from gradual price reductions in imported rice, but farmers remain vulnerable to low farmgate prices, rising production costs, and climate-related risks.