Why Does the Philippines Import Rice?” was the title of a book published in 2006 by the International Rice Research Institute and Philippine Rice Research Institute, with a foreword jointly signed by then IRRI director general Robert S. Ziegler and PhilRice executive director Leocadio S. Sebastian (now undersecretary for Rice Industry Development at the Department of Agriculture). The book compiles intriguing facts and analyses by rice scholars from both institutions, which remain highly relevant to the ongoing debate on rice trade. Editors David Dawe, Piedad Moya, and Sheryll Casiwan address the question at the beginning: “Many factors are often cited for the failure to achieve rice self-sufficiency—government policy, corruption, land use conversion, traditional farming methods, deteriorating irrigation systems, and lack of agricultural credit, among others. However, these problems are not unique to the Philippines, as even rice-exporting countries face similar challenges. So, what is the reason behind the Philippines’ reliance on rice imports?” The book reveals that the answer lies in geography. Unlike countries like Thailand and Vietnam with major river deltas, the Philippines, being a nation of islands, lacks the suitable land for large-scale rice production. The book also dispels common misconceptions about rice production in the Philippines, stating that despite losses of land to urbanization, the expansion of cropland in other areas has compensated for it. In fact, rice cultivation area in the Philippines has reached record highs in recent years. While some may argue that Filipino farmers are inefficient, the book highlights a survey that shows Filipino farmers have made significant progress in reducing insecticide use and mechanizing operations. However, the country’s vulnerability to frequent typhoons adds to the challenges faced by rice production. On the other hand, rice-exporting countries benefit from their favorable endowments of land and water, particularly in mainland Southeast Asia. These countries have larger areas of arable land and are less affected by natural disasters. The book suggests that the Philippines’ best regions for rice cultivation align with major river deltas in Central Luzon, Panay Island, and Mindanao. However, the insistence on producing rice even in less productive areas has driven up the national average production cost and domestic rice prices. This, combined with trade restrictions that protect the domestic market from competition, results in Filipino farmers receiving higher prices for their rice compared to their counterparts in neighboring countries. However, studies show that Filipino farmers and their families are net rice buyers, indicating that the high prices negatively impact them. To address this, there is a need to reconsider trade policies and open the market to imported rice.
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