MANILA, Philippines — The average retail price of regular milled rice saw a year-on-year decline in early February 2026, even as the cost of unmilled rice (palay) at the farm-gate level began to climb, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Data from the Feb. 1–5 period shows that regular milled rice averaged ₱45.54 per kilogram, a 4.7% decrease from the ₱47.77 per kg recorded during the same period in 2025. However, on a month-on-month basis, prices were slightly higher (4.1%) than the mid-January 2026 average of ₱43.76 per kg.
Regional Disparities
- Highest Prices: Recorded in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) at ₱50.67 per kg.
- Lowest Prices: Found in Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan) at ₱40.29 per kg.
Impact of Import Policies
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. attributed the current price dynamics to a temporary rice import ban implemented between September and December 2025. This suspension was intended to lift domestic palay prices, which had suffered due to “excessive” importation in previous years.
In 2024, the Philippines recorded its highest-ever rice import arrivals at 4.8 million metric tons (MT)—roughly 1 million MT more than the country’s actual requirements. This surplus led to domestic farm-gate prices crashing to as low as ₱14 to ₱16 per kilo in some months of the previous year.
Current Farm-Gate Trends
- 2025 Average: Palay farm-gate prices averaged ₱17.70 per kg.
- January 2026: Prices improved to ₱20.10 per kg, though this remains 3% lower than the January 2025 level.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) maintains that while retail prices are currently lower for consumers, the focus is now on ensuring the profitability of local rice farming to discourage a production decline and prevent a future rice crisis.