Thailand Pushes Rice Exports to Philippines, Targets 600,000 Tonnes
Thailand's rice exports to the Philippines surged 110 percent in the first half of 2025, prompting the government to launch a high-level trade mission aimed at removing barriers and promoting premium varieties like jasmine rice to reach a f
The Department of Foreign Trade and the Thai Rice Exporters Association are aggressively pursuing the Philippine market to remove trade obstacles and promote quality rice. Export volumes for the first six months of 2025 jumped 110 percent, and the department is confident that full-year exports will exceed 600,000 tonnes.
Arada Fuangtong, Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade, announced that Deputy Director-General Chanintra Rimcherng led a government and private-sector delegation to Manila on August 3, 2025, to strengthen rice trade cooperation between Thailand and the Philippines. The team held discussions with Food Terminal Incorporated, the Philippine Rice Importers Association, and the Philippine Rice Industry Stakeholders Movement to exchange market data, food security policies, import trends, and explore ways to improve logistics systems and reduce trade barriers.
The delegation also met with the Bureau of Plant Industry to address agricultural import regulations, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and streamline Thai rice entry into the Philippine market, particularly specialty varieties such as jasmine rice, Pathum Thani fragrant rice, and other premium grades.
The department organized a business networking event at Benjarong Restaurant in Manila, which carries the Thai SELECT certification from the Ministry of Commerce. The event, attended by more than 60 people including the Thai Ambassador to the Philippines, representatives from Philippine importers associations, businesses, media, and social media influencers, showcased the quality of Thai rice and created opportunities to connect Thai exporters with Philippine importers.
This initiative is part of an aggressive rice export drive through public-private cooperation, involving monitoring partner country policies, trade facilitation, importer networking, and promotion of Thai rice strengths to maintain competitiveness amid intense price competition and economic and geopolitical uncertainty.
During the first six months of 2025, Thailand exported 295,939 tonnes of rice to the Philippines, a 110.47 percent increase compared to the same period last year. The breakdown includes white rice at 98.82 percent, Thai jasmine rice at 0.97 percent, sticky rice at 0.18 percent, and Thai fragrant rice at 0.03 percent.
The Philippine market continues to need rice imports to bolster food security, meet domestic consumption, and stabilize prices. While 25-percent-broken white rice remains the consumer favourite, demand for premium and specialty rice is rising, particularly in urban areas, restaurants, and hotels.
The department sees opportunities in soft-grain rice, price-competitive varieties, and new cultivars tailored to Philippine preferences, and is ready to support and facilitate Thai exporters in expanding their market reach. Full-year 2025 rice exports to the Philippines are projected to reach at least 600,000 tonnes.
