Tornado destroyed houses in Central Java, Indonesia. On 2 May 2026, a tornado struck Harjowinangun and Kebonsari villages in Dempet Subdistrict, Demak Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. No fatalities were reported. At least 28 houses and one vehicle were damaged. Educational facilities were also affected. Local authorities advised residents to remain alert to the potential for strong winds.

Source: The Watcher. (2026, May 5).  Tornado damages 28 homes in two villages of Demak Regency, Central Java, Indonesia.

Volcanic eruption and earthquake struck the Philippines. On 3 May 2026, Mayon Volcano in the Philippines erupted, with the alert level raised to Level 3 on a five-step scale. It increased the risk of lava flows and landslides. Nearly 1,500 families were sheltering in evacuation centres. In Albay Province, heavy ashfall covered several towns, affecting more than 26,600 families and disrupting traffic, while rice fields nearing harvest were also blanketed. Local authorities advised residents to stay outside the 6-kilometre radius from the volcano, distributed face masks, and urged the public to avoid unnecessary outdoor activities. One day later, a 6-magnitudes earthquake struck Samar Island in the central Philippines, with aftershocks expected. No immediate reports of damage or casualties were recorded although some buildings showed minor cracking without significant impact.

Source: The Strait Times. (2026, May 3). Philippines says thousands evacuated as Mayon volcano erupts; The Strait Times. (2026, May 4). Earthquake of 6 magnitude strikes central Philippines, no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

Myanmar explores exporting Paw San rice to the United States. The Myanmar Trade Promotion Organisation (MyanTrade) held a virtual Meeting on April 29, 2026, to discuss the potential to export Paw San rice to the United States (US), with government officials, trade representatives, and private-sector participants from both Myanmar and the US. The discussion of the meeting focused on export procedures, compliance with the US FDA regulations, and coordination with the US company “Well Luck Co Ltd. As an initial stage, participants proposed sending rice samples to the US, followed by exporting one container as a trial shipment.

Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar. (2026, May 2). MyanTrade eyes US market for Pawsan rice exports.

Rice price could increase to 62 PHP per kilogramme by September 2026. According to the Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary, rice prices in the Philippines could rise to 62 PHP (1.03 USD) per kilogramme by September 2026. The expected increase is driven by higher fertiliser costs, rising from 1,650 PHP (27.31 USD) to 3,000 PHP (49.65 USD) due to Middle East tensions impacting fuel prices. The DA Secretary warned that prices will rise if farmers continue using urea-based fertilisers rather than switching to cheaper alternatives, such as biofertilisers, which significantly reduce costs. In addition, the imported rice is cheaper at 33 – 34 PHP (0.55 – 0.56 USD) per kilogramme, and is sold at 40 PHP (0.66 USD) per kilogramme, which could help decrease overall cost. To further reduce costs, the Department of Agriculture is promoting blending rice with white corn (50-50 percent mix), as corn is significantly cheaper at 17 PHP (0.28 USD) per kilo. The DA secretary added that due to rising fertilizer costs, farmers would need rice prices of at least 22 PHP (0.36 USD) per kilo for wet rice and 27 PHP (0.45 USD) per kilo for dry rice by September to remain profitable.

*1 USD = 60.43 PHP

Source: Inquirer.net. (2026, April 29). DA: Rice prices may hit P62/kg in September due to high fertilizer costs.

Japan plans to repurchase the rice stockpile after the emergency rice release. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of Japan plan to repurchase up to 150,000 tonnes of rice in fiscal 2026 from the emergency stockpile rice released during the 2025 nationwide shortage crisis, which government had released 590,000 tonnes to stabilise supply. Meanwhile, Japan’s government rice reserves are at bout have fallen to about 320,000 tonnes, which far below the appropriate level of 1 million tonnes intended for emergencies such as disasters and poor harvests. To strengthen food security. In addition, the MAFF Japan also resumed purchasing rice producer in April about 210,000 tonnes for the first time in two years. On the other hand, officials are concerned that increasing stockpile purchases could reduce the amount of rice available in the market, potentially driving up prices and causing consumer dissatisfaction.

Source: The Mainichi. (2026, May 1). Japan to buy back up to 150,000 tons of released stockpiled rice as inventories climb.