By ChiniMandi 

Philippine consumers could face significantly higher rice prices by the September harvest season if farmers do not adopt alternative inputs and move away from conventional farming practices, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has warned, DZRH News reported.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. issued the early warning during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Proactive Response and Oversight for Timely and Effective Crisis Strategy (PROTECT), citing inflationary pressures from the ongoing global oil crisis and rising farm input costs as the primary drivers.

Laurel said that if farmers continued using conventional inputs such as urea fertiliser without shifting to alternatives being promoted by the DA, retail rice prices could reach ₱62 per kilogram. He noted that average rice prices had already climbed from around ₱42 per kg before the Middle East conflict to approximately ₱50 per kg at present.

The DA attributed much of the cost pressure to a sharp rise in fertiliser prices. Urea, a key input for rice cultivation, has reportedly surged from around ₱1,600 per sack to as high as ₱3,000, adding considerably to production costs for farmers. Laurel also said many growers remain reluctant to transition to organic or alternative fertilisers that the DA has been recommending to help contain costs.

To cushion the potential impact on consumers, the DA is preparing several intervention measures ahead of the next harvest cycle. These include a proposed rice blending strategy that would mix 30 per cent imported rice with 70 per cent locally produced rice to help manage supply. The agency is also studying a corn blending option that would combine rice with corn to offer a more affordable staple alternative to households.

The DA said both measures are aimed at preventing further price shocks while managing supply pressures in the months leading up to the September harvest.

Published Date: April 30, 2026