Philippines cancels 12,480 metric tons of Vietnamese rice import

The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) has canceled the import permit for 12,480 metric tons of rice aboard the vessel MV Tay Son 2. The shipment, originating from Vietnam and imported by Planters Product Inc., was declared as 25 percent broken rice but was found to contain 5 percent broken rice.

DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. stated that the cancellation of the sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance was ordered following discrepancies in the cargo and the expiration of the importation contract. The shipment was originally scheduled for July 2026, but arrived in September, a period coinciding with the wet-season harvest. The DA noted that the delay could have negatively impacted domestic palay prices.

During the incident, the vessel attempted to depart the Port of Davao without inspection. The Philippine Navy intercepted the ship off Sarangani and transported it to the Port of General Santos City. Tiu Laurel addressed allegations of corruption regarding the incident, asserting that the DA actively stopped the shipment to protect local producers.