The Philippines prefers OM5451 and Dai Thom 8 rice varieties from Vietnam.

Vietnamese rice still accounts for the majority of rice imported by the Philippines. Among them, the two most popular varieties in the Philippines are OM5451 and Dai Thom 8.

Vietnamese rice

These are among the most widely produced rice varieties in the Mekong Delta. OM 5451 and Dai Thom 8 varieties yield high productivity and are easily marketable thanks to their good rice quality, meeting export standards.

The preference for Vietnamese rice is clearly demonstrated by the amount of rice imported into the Philippines. According to information from the Bureau of Plant Industry under the Philippine Department of Agriculture, in 2023, the Philippines imported 3.57 million tons of rice, of which 2.97 million tons came from Vietnam, accounting for 83%.

Rice imports

From January 1st to May 23rd, 2024, the Philippines’ total rice imports reached 1.97 million tons, a 20.3% increase compared to the first five months of 2023. Of this, Vietnamese rice accounted for 1.44 million tons, representing 72.9% of the total imports. Thailand ranked second with 300,000 tons, followed by Pakistan with 145,000 tons, and Myanmar with 65,000 tons. The remainder was imported from India, China, Japan, Cambodia, Italy, and Spain.

Despite numerous efforts to boost domestic rice production, the Philippines is still expected to import millions of tons of rice this year, with a projected figure of around 4 million tons. If this figure is reached, the Philippines’ rice imports in 2024 will surpass the record import of 3.82 million tons in 2022. With such high import demand, Philippine importers will undoubtedly continue to look to Vietnam as the largest supplier in recent years.

Source: Agricultural Newspaper