Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel wants to maintain the low tariff on imported rice until its retail price reaches P45 per kilo or below.

"Since it's already there until the price is not going down to a certain level, let's maintain the tariff for now since it looks like it working now," said Laurel.

"We knew why the price (of rice) was not decreasing at the start but now we can see that it is really going down," he said.

The price of imported rice being sold in markets is still above P50 a kilo.

Laurel believes that the tariff rate should remain until the price of rice reaches around P42 to P45 per kilo.

"And it can be reviewed and recommended for restoration or maybe not full restoration, it can be from 15 percent to 20 percent or 15 percent to 25 percent or full 35 percent, depending on the situation. Depending on the consultation with everybody," he said.

Executive Order Number 62 that was signed last June 20 mandates the conduct of the review of tariff rates every four months.

The reduction of rice tariffs to 15 percent from 35 percent under the EO 62, the lowest in the country's history, took effect last July 5. Robina Asido/DMS