Speaking before the Senate Committee on Agriculture chaired by Sen. Francis Pangilinan, Tiu Laurel said the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) reform agenda would not only benefit rice farmers but also other stakeholders along the value chain—input suppliers, distributors, millers, traders, wholesalers, and retailers.
“This should provide opportunities to lower costs and improve efficiency, which would lead to increased rice production and improved food security,” he said.
Seven pillars of reform
Tiu Laurel outlined seven major reforms to the RTL:
restoring calibrated state intervention in the market,
integrating budgets for the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund and the National Rice Program,
rebuilding a nationwide extension support system,
balancing consumer welfare with farmer protection,
sustaining domestic production and planting intentions,
modernizing and rebuilding the National Food Authority (NFA), and
providing meaningful incentives to all rice value chain players.
Warning on rice imports
The agriculture chief sounded the alarm on the rising consumer preference for imported rice due to its price and quality. He cautioned that unchecked imports could lead to a collapse in farm-gate palay prices.
“This could send palay prices crashing, and rice millers shutting their facilities and just resorting to importing,” Tiu Laurel warned, stressing the risk of eroding food self-sufficiency.
P60-B rice budget
He also highlighted the need to ensure that public funds translate to better outcomes.
“For 2026, the rice sector will receive a P60 billion budget, and we need to make sure this will lead to higher productivity and income for farmers,” he said.
Legislative support
Several senators, including Senate President Francis Escudero, have filed bills and resolutions to reform the rice industry. Tiu Laurel urged Congress to back a “smarter, more integrated approach” to rice policy that protects farmers while keeping rice affordable for consumers. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
