THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has delayed the imposition of higher rice tariffs to February despite the resumption of imports.
It had previously said that the increase, to 20 percent from 15 percent, would take effect Jan. 16 after the government ended a temporary ban on inbound shipments of the staple.
In a statement announcing that the DA had secured palay buying price commitments from traders following a meeting, the department also said that Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. had said that “rice tariffs will not be raised until February and that final operational details will be carefully managed to avoid unnecessary…