Philippine Rice Inventory Down 10.1% in July, Raising Price Concerns

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that the country's rice inventory dropped 10.1% to 2.51 million metric tons (MMT) as of July 1, while corn stocks rose 33.9% to 836.22 thousand MT. Of the total stock, 47.7% was held by commercial traders, 38% by households, and 13.3% by depositories of the National Food Authority (NFA). Rice held by the commercial sector decreased to 1,197.24 MMT as of July 1, it said. Rice held by households amounted to 978.91 thousand MT, down 4.3% year on year. Rice held by the NFA dropped 21.4% to 333.03 thousand MT. Month on month, rice inventory increased 6.8%. “In comparison to the June 2026 rice stock levels, increment was noted from the commercial sector of 27.5%. Meanwhile, rice stocks decreased in households by 7.9% and in NFA depositories by 4.3%,” the PSA said. Corn held by commercial establishments accounted for 88.2% of the total corn stock, while 11.8% was held by households. Month on month, the corn inventory fell 7.1%. “Relative to the inventory level in June 2026, the volume of corn stocks registered month-on-month decreases in households of 10% and in the commercial sector of 6.7%,” the PSA said. — Marron Joshua F. Mendoza