Photo by PHILSTAR
It is projected that the Philippines will remain the largest importer of rice in the world by 2025, according to the country’s plan to address the continuous rise in consumption and based on local data showing a decline in production in the first three months of the year.
According to the monthly global grains report released by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in May, rice imports in the Philippines are expected to increase even further in the coming year, surpassing the estimated 4.1 million metric tons (MT).
The USDA attributed this expected increase to the projected growth in population and tourism. The latest data shows that as of May 2020, the Filipino population reached 109.03 million, with over two million foreign tourists visiting the country from January to April 2024.
For 2024, the USDA anticipates that the country will import 4.1 million MT of rice, which is higher compared to the estimated 3.9 million MT in February.
