Area
Philippines
Commodity Group
Rice
Commodity
All
Date
12/09/2019
Policy Category
Trade
Policy Instrument
Safeguard measures
Description
Notified the World Trade Organization that on 11 September 2019 it began a preliminary safeguard investigation on imports of selected classes of semi/wholly milled rice (those falling under tariff lines 10063030, 10063040, 10063091 and 10063099). According to officials, the move was made in light of continuous increases in rice imports, and parallel falls in farmgate prices of paddy, with related income losses by farmers, as well as an abrupt shift by traders from purchasing locally produced paddy to buying imported rice. The investigation was expected to be completed by the close of September or early October, with additional options including the imposition of stringent sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) and inspection measures.
