Philippines to Import Record 5 Million Tonnes of Vietnamese Rice Amid Severe El Niño
The Philippines, one of the largest and most consistent buyers of Vietnamese rice, is expected to import up to 5 million tonnes of rice this year, marking a record-high import volume for the country as it takes measures to cope with the impacts of a severe El Niño phenomenon.
According to Philippine media reports, during a hearing on September 1, Philippine Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel stated that a strong El Niño event is expected to cause losses of up to 900,000 tonnes of rice production in 2026. To offset the supply shortage and ensure food security, the country’s rice imports this year are projected to increase to 5 million tonnes.
This would represent the highest rice import volume ever recorded by the Philippines, surpassing the previous record of 4.81 million tonnes in 2024.
The Philippines’ projected import volume of 5 million tonnes is also close to the forecast released by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in June 2026, which estimated the country’s rice imports at 5.1–5.2 million tonnes. However, there is a difference in the outlook for 2027. The USDA predicted that under the continued impact of El Niño, Philippine rice imports could rise further to 5.3 million tonnes, while the Philippine Agriculture Secretary expects imports to decrease to around 4 million tonnes next year.
According to the Philippine Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), as of August 13, the country’s total rice imports had already reached 3.46 million tonnes, exceeding the total import volume of 3.39 million tonnes recorded throughout 2025.
Although the Philippines has been making efforts to diversify its supply sources and increase imports from other ASEAN countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, and Myanmar, rice imports from Vietnam continue to dominate the market, accounting for 2.56 million tonnes, or approximately 74% of total imports.
Other major rice suppliers include:
- Thailand: 378,404 tonnes
- Myanmar: 286,052 tonnes
- Pakistan: 107,485 tonnes
- Cambodia: 87,802 tonnes
This development is positive news for Vietnamese farmers, as domestic rice prices experienced a significant decline in August due to the peak harvest season of the summer – autumn crop, while many buyers, especially from the Philippines, had been waiting for more favorable prices before making purchases.
According to Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, by the end of August 2026, Vietnam’s rice exports were estimated at more than 6 million tonnes, down 5% year-on-year. Export value was estimated at nearly US$2.9 billion, representing a decrease of 10.7% compared with the same period last year.
The average export price of Vietnamese rice was estimated at US$481.5 per tonne, down 5.9% year-on-year.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/khach-ruot-cua-gao-viet-nam-se-nhap-5-trieu-tan-vi-el-nino-185260903105108229.htm
