According to data from the Philippines’ Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), the country imported 707,711 tonnes of rice as of Feb. 26, up 28.5% year-on-year, exceeding the Philippine Department of Agriculture’s earlier forecast of about 600,000 tonnes for the first two months of 2026.
Vietnam remained the dominant supplier, accounting for 622,483 tonnes, or nearly 88% of total imports. Thailand supplied 6.17%, while Myanmar held a 5.04% share.
Domestic rice prices in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta were mostly steady. Large warehouses in several areas temporarily halted purchases, resulting in limited transactions.
In An Giang province, trading activity remained slow with most large buyers staying on the sidelines. Similar conditions were reported in Lap Vo and Sa Dec in Dong Thap province, where supply was limited and prices remained stable.
Raw rice prices were unchanged from the previous session. OM 5451 rice was quoted at 8,550–8,700 dong per kg, while OM 380 stood at 7,500–7,600 dong per kg. IR 504 rice was traded at 8,000–8,100 dong per kg, and OM 18 at 8,900–9,100 dong per kg. Dai Thom 8 was priced at 9,150–9,450 dong per kg.
In retail markets, rice prices were also stable. Huong Lai rice was sold at around 22,000 dong per kg, while Nang Nhen reached as high as 28,000 dong per kg. Regular rice was priced at 13,000–14,000 dong per kg, and Thai fragrant rice at 20,000–22,000 dong per kg.
Glutinous rice prices were unchanged, with dried glutinous rice at 9,500–9,700 dong per kg and fresh IR 4625 glutinous rice at 7,300–7,500 dong per kg.
By-products were steady as well. Rice bran was quoted at 7,950–8,150 dong per kg, while broken fragrant rice was priced at 7,650–7,800 dong per kg.
Paddy prices across the Mekong Delta were also largely stable amid slow trading. In An Giang, fresh OM 34 paddy was traded at 5,200–5,400 dong per kg, while IR 50404 stood at 5,400–5,500 dong per kg. OM 5451 was quoted at 5,800–6,000 dong per kg, and OM 18 and Dai Thom 8 ranged between 6,500–6,700 dong per kg.
On the export market, the Vietnam Food Association (VFA) quoted Vietnamese jasmine rice at $430–$434 per tonne, while 5% broken fragrant rice was offered at $400–$415 per tonne. 5% broken white rice was quoted at $357–$361 per tonne.
Thai 5% broken rice was offered at $381–$385 per tonne, while India’s 5% broken white rice was quoted at $351–$355 per tonne and 5% broken parboiled rice at $350–$354 per tonne. Pakistan’s 5% broken white rice stood at $362–$366 per tonne.
Despite the strong import pace earlier this year, Philippine authorities said shipments could slow in the coming months. Traders have agreed to reduce imports to around 150,000 tonnes per month in March and April to allow space for the domestic harvest.
If implemented, imports over the two-month period would total around 300,000 tonnes, down 65.5% from the same period last year.
Meanwhile, Philippine rice stocks stood at 2.11 million tonnes as of Feb. 1, down nearly 10% from the previous month but 5.3% higher year-on-year, largely due to higher inventories held by the National Food Authority and households.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has called for coordinated actions to ensure stable rice production and sale amid evolving domestic and global conditions, according to an official dispatch issued by the Government.
Official Dispatch No. 21/CD-TTg highlighted that Vietnam’s rice production, trade and export activities have continued to post encouraging results. However, increasingly complex and unpredictable global and regional developments could affect global rice supply, demand and prices. Domestically, the peak winter–spring harvest in Mekong Delta localities has led to a drop in paddy purchasing prices compared with the same period last year.
Under the document, the Minister of Agriculture and Environment is tasked with instructing local authorities to closely monitor production developments, improve forecasting capacity, strengthen pest control measures, and proactively respond to adverse weather conditions to protect crops, maintain planned yields and output, and reduce production costs.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE) has been assigned to coordinate with the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), the Vietnam Food Association (VFA), the Vietnam Rice Industry Association (VIETRISA), and related stakeholders to strengthen links between businesses and farmers, promote proactive rice procurement, processing and exports, and ensure stable sale of commercial paddy.
Meanwhile, the MoIT is required to closely monitor and forecast export–import activities, consumption demand and food prices in regional and global markets to enable flexible management of rice trading and export operations, thereby improving export efficiency. The ministry will also lead inter-agency inspection teams to oversee rice procurement and trading activities, helping ensure market transparency and compliance with mandatory reserve regulations.
In parallel, trade promotion efforts will be intensified to expand exports to major and high-potential markets, diversify export destinations, and gradually reduce dependence on traditional importers. The ministry will also provide guidance on favourable export timing to enhance price competitiveness while promoting domestic rice consumption and diversifying rice-based products for both local and international markets.
The Ministry of Finance has been tasked with monitoring price movements and implementing market stabilisation measures within its authority. It will study solutions to ease logistics and export costs amid rising global shipping expenses, consider support policies for rice exporters, facilitate tax refunds and customs clearance, and develop an appropriate national rice reserve procurement plan to help stabilise domestic prices.
The State Bank of Vietnam has been directed to guide credit institutions in providing adequate capital at reasonable interest rates to support enterprises purchasing rice, particularly during peak harvest periods. Preferential credit policies will also be explored for businesses with strong storage and procurement capacity to boost temporary stockpiling for farmers.
The People’s Committees of provinces and cities are required to closely monitor local rice production and flexibly manage cultivation to meet or exceed output targets while ensuring compliance with Vietnam’s technical and food safety standards as well as those of importing markets.
Local authorities are also instructed to strengthen market management, step up inspection and supervision of trading activities by key enterprises and traders, and prevent price manipulation, profiteering and unfair competition.
Additionally, the PM assigned leaders of the VFA, VIETRISA, the Vietnam Northern Food Corporation, the Vietnam Southern Food Corporation, and rice export enterprises to increase rice procurement, particularly in major production areas in the Mekong Delta. Enterprises are encouraged to maximise storage and processing capacity for temporary stockpiling to support market stability, while enhancing market monitoring, forecasting and information sharing to promptly adjust business strategies in line with domestic and global market developments.
Source: Vitic