Vietnamese rice shipments pick up after Philippines reopens imports
VOV.VN - The Philippines, the world’s largest rice importer, reopened its international rice import market on January 1, 2026, after a four-month ban imposed in September 2025.
The move has quickly prompted Vietnamese rice shipments to resume and increase deliveries to the market.
According to the latest market update from the Vietnam Food Association (VFA), the Philippines has maintained its rice import tariff at 15%, while a proposal to raise the rate to 20% is still pending approval. Imported rice is allowed to enter through 17 designated ports and must arrive within 60 days from the issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance.
During the initial reopening period, the Philippine Department of Agriculture has approved imports of up to 500,000 tonnes of rice and eased deposit requirements in a bid to reduce costs for businesses.
VFA data indicate that between January 1 and January 19, 2026, a total of 24 vessels queued at Ho Chi Minh City and My Thoi ports, carrying an estimated volume of more than 119,000 tonnes of rice. Of these, 19 vessels were bound for the Philippines, while the remainder were destined for Malaysia.
In 2026, the Philippines is set to import about 3.6-3.8 million tonnes of rice, with around 80% sourced from Vietnam, reaffirming its position as Vietnam’s key rice export market.
According to VFA, Vietnam exported more than 522,000 tonnes of rice in December 2025, with export earnings of nearly US$249 million. Cumulative rice exports for the full year reached over 8 million tonnes, valued at more than US$4.1 billion.
Philippines set to sign 2.5 million-tonne rice deal with Vietnam
VOV.VN - The Philippines plans to sign an agreement to import an initial 2.5 million tonnes of rice from Vietnam as part of its 2026 procurement strategy.
