Hybrid rice demo farm to yield 275 tons in Davao del Sur town

DAVAO CITY – Some 275 tons of rice will be harvested in the hybrid rice cluster demo project for the wet season in Hagonoy town, Davao del Sur, in September this year, the Department of Agriculture in Davao Region (DA-11) said Thursday.
Evelyn Basa, DA-11 rice program coordinator, said with an expected yield of a minimum of seven tons per hectare, the project can contribute to the country's rice production target for 2027.
Basa credited the initiative to the collaboration among DA-11, the Philippine Rice Board, the Davao del Sur provincial government, and the Hagonoy municipality, whose representatives conducted a ceremonial planting at the demo farm in Barangay Sinayawan.
The 35-hectare farm showcases 24 rice varieties and technologies from different seed companies and growers.
“The demo farm will serve as an avenue for farmers to observe and learn various technologies on cultural management practices, mechanical and seeding, and nutrient management such as the 'Abonong Swak' recommendation that can help them improve their production,” Basa said in a statement.
She said the expected harvest on the third week of September forms part of the culmination activity of the 16th National Rice Technology Forum (NRTF) from Sept. 18-22, 2023.
Meanwhile, Basa said the ongoing distribution of hybrid rice seeds to the members of Irrigators Associations (IAs) and Farmers’ Cooperatives and Associations or FCAs aims to increase the adoption of hybrid rice seeds by up to 40 percent.
This is part of the DA's strategy, she said, to reach an average hybrid rice yield level of up to six tons per hectare (ton/ha) in the wet season, and up to eight ton/ha in the dry season in target areas by 2028.
Eligible beneficiaries will be provided fuel subsidies, especially those who own or rent agricultural machinery used for crop production such as tractors, transplanters, harvesters, and shredders. (PNA)
Iloilo launches P30-M hybrid rice program
ILOILO CITY -- As part of the target sites of the Department of Agriculture (DA-6) in Western Visayas region, the provincial government of Iloilo has launched a P30-million hybrid rice seed program to cater to more than 6,000 hectares of rice farms.
“We are pushing for the hybridization program to improve our current average yield of 4.5 metric tons per hectare of palay even before the completion of the biggest dam project outside Luzon, the Jalaur River Multi-Purpose Project II,” said Iloilo Governor Arthur ‘Toto’ Defensor Jr.
Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. leads the distribution of hybrid seeds to farmer beneficiaries in San Miguel town, Iloilo province to boost yield this planting season. (DA-6)
The program is part of Province-led Agriculture and Fisheries Extension Systems (PAFES) that was launched in San Miguel town, where 309 bags of seeds were distributed to farmer beneficiaries.
In a report released by the DA-6, only seven towns in Iloilo province were able to avail 45,000 bags of hybrid seeds in fiscal year 2022. These included Ajuy, Dumangas, Pavia, Mina, New Lucena, Barotac Nuevo, and Banate. These towns had an average yield of five metric tons per hectare.
The DA-6 backs the Iloilo Agricultural Office to boost the area and yield for hybrid planting this year.
Unleashing the Potential of Hybrid Rice in Pakistan

Rice is Pakistan’s second staple food and fourth-biggest export after Knitwear, Readymade garments, and Bed wear, but its production declined by 41 percent during 2022-23, coming in at 5.5 million tons according to the data published by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The primary reason was devastating floods that knocked off 80 percent of expected rice production in Sindh which contributes to nearly a third of national output. Rice is also facing severe challenges from climate, weeds, and pests.
The true potential of any crop’s success is hidden in its seeds and hybrid rice is a potential answer to these barriers.
Hybrids for rice first surfaced during the 1970s when Dr Yuan Longping and his team averted a catastrophic famine in China making it the biggest rice producer in the world. He is still remembered as the second leader of the Green Revolution along with Nobel laureate Norman Borlaug.
Globally, rice has two main subspecies, Japonica and Indica. The Japonica rice comes from temperate & high-altitude environments, is short & stickier when cooked, and is cultivated in China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and Taiwan.
Indica rice on the other hand is long, non-sticker (separate after cooking), and is grown in India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Southern China, and Africa. In Pakistan, all cultivated varieties from basmati, extra-long grain, and coarse rice belong to the Indica species.
In traditional varieties, plants have both male and female parts on the same flower and reproduce through self-pollination, but hybrid rice is produced by crossing two different parents. It causes a process called heterosis, producing more spikelets (rice flower unit) per unit area and increased grain weight, yielding 20-30% more in comparison to traditional cultivars.
The hybrid rice program was formally initiated in Pakistan during the 1990s at Rice Research Institute, Kala Shah Kaku (RARI) in a combined effort with International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). In 2021, the government approved Pakistan’s first Basmati Rice Hybrid developed at RARI and directed the auction of the licenses for marketing and distribution.
“Developing Basmati Hybrids is quite challenging because we have to protect its famous length and aroma” stated Dr Shawaiz Iqbal, Senior Scientist at RARI. He explained that the approved variety KSK111H has a yield potential of 115 maunds/acre and holds all the other features of basmati rice.
Although the process of commercializing is stalled after the government shuffle since the process of auction is yet to be outlined.
Lahore-based Guard Agriculture Research & Services is another industry leader in hybrid rice in Pakistan with a 74 percent market share. They have successfully developed and marketed half a dozen hybrid cultivars all having production potential of 120 maunds/acre and resistance against disease, shattering, lodging, and heat.
One of the key aspects of rice hybrids is increased yield from the same unit area of land. Pakistan is the fifth-largest country by population in the world and will soon cross Indonesia for the 4th spot. It is a double-edged sword putting pressure on existing food production while leaving less agricultural land on the other hand.
Our only shot at the food security of future generations is to ensure a vertical increase in production and hybrid cultivars are the key to that challenge. The second major threat to Rice production is looming climate change and resulting water scarcity. Rising temperatures are also a precursor to an increased occurrence of diseases and pests.
Hybrid cultivars provide us with the opportunity to effectively cope with these challenges without putting more pesticides and other agrochemicals in the field and further threatening the biodiversity and sustainability of the ecosystem. Hybrids can break the yield barriers and escape drought as well due to their shorter life span.
For example, all the rice hybrids introduced by Guard Agriculture Research are resistant to Bacterial Leaf Blight (BLB). They can also sustain against salinity and water logging, which is increasingly ravaging our lands due to floods and mismanagement of water resources.
Lastly, hybrid rice will not only ensure domestic food security but will also fuel exports with increasing demand for this important cereal internationally especially the coarse types. Although hybrid rice gets lower prices in the local market in comparison to basmati, companies like Guard Agriculture assist farmers in exporting their produce.
The prime challenge in their widespread use is affordability both to farmers and the country. Being hybrids, farmers will have to buy their fresh seeds every year. If farmers cultivate the same seed from the previous year’s hybrid crop, the crop will produce inconsistent results and surely will not achieve ideal yields.
“The performance of Chinese hybrids is subject to specific climate as they are not all locally adopted, unlike our domestic cultivars”, added Iqbal.
He maintained that these hybrids are also vulnerable to climate change as happened during 2020 heatwaves, especially in September when temperature shifts affect flowering significantly.
He also argued that there is a need to protect the heritage of basmati rice by limiting the cultivation of these hybrids to Lower Punjab and Sindh, out of the Kallar Tract Rice belt (Narowal, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Kasur, Sheikhupura, etc).
Pakistan is the largest importer of hybrid rice in the world and has failed to indigenize its production despite years of collaboration with international actors, especially China. It drains foreign exchange from an agricultural-rich country that is always struggling to keep up with the balance of payments.
Government and private institutions must work on the technology transfer of hybrid rice which will not just ensure the indigenization of hybrids & save foreign reserves, but will also create huge local employment opportunities and will be relatively affordable due to domestic production.
Hybrid rice planted on record area

Farmers have planted hybrid rice on the highest amount of land in the current Boro season, the source of the biggest crop output, to profit from higher production and prices of the staple grain in the market.
Preliminary data of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) showed that overall planting of Boro increased nearly 4 per cent to 49.99 lakh hectares of land in this cultivation season.
Of that, hybrid varieties of paddy cover 14 lakh hectares, the highest on record, which is nearly one-third of the total acreage of Boro.
On a year-on-year basis, the area being used for hybrid cultivation is 23 per cent higher from the 11.36 lakh hectares recorded by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) in fiscal year 2021-22.
"We have really seen a good year. Most of the companies have had good business this year," said Humayun Kabir, managing director of Supreme Seed Company Ltd, a major seed seller.
This is the seventh consecutive year farmers have shown growing interest to increase land allocation for hybrid rice, a type of rice bred from two very different parents to bag a higher yield from a relatively smaller piece of land.
The scenario gradually changed since fiscal year 2015-16 when acreage of hybrid rice stood at 6.81 lakh hectares, according to the BBS.
In fiscal year 2021-22, farmers bagged 53 lakh tonnes of rice from the hybrid varieties during the Boro season, the harvests of which are made in the April-June period.
The amount was more than a fourth of that fiscal year's Boro season output of 2 crore tonnes. In terms of acreage, the area under hybrid cultivation was over one-fifth of the total land used during the Boro season.
Kabir of Supreme Seed said hybrid rice provides up to 20 per cent higher yield than inbred varieties if farmers properly follow cultivation practices. This is one of the major reasons for the increase in the planting of the varieties.
Besides, introduction of finer grain varieties of hybrid has attracted growers as finer grains enable better marketability than coarse grains, he said.
"The middle-income population prefers finer rice than coarse ones and companies have started introducing the varieties for the last five-six years," said Kabir, also general secretary of Bangladesh Seed Association.
During the early stage of hybrid rice cultivation in Bangladesh, Chinese varieties were introduced and the rice became sticky after boiling.
"Now the quality of hybrid rice is better. The amount of stickiness is low," he said, adding that these factors were encouraging growers to replace inbred rice.
Kabir said cost of cultivation of hybrid was not much higher than high yielding varieties. The cost of seed is higher, accounting for 10 per cent of the total cost, he said.
Farmers also need to apply more fertiliser, he said, adding that the agronomy, or the science of soil management and crop production, of hybrid rice cultivation was almost the same.
"But they can cover the cost when it comes to overall production," said Kabir.
FH Ansarey, managing director of ACI Agribusiness Division, said an increase in the price of paddy had encouraged growers to invest more on hybrid cultivation.
Prices data compiled by the by Food and Agriculture Organization showed that wholesale rate of a quintal or 100 kilogrammes of coarse rice was Tk 4,326 in February this year, up from Tk 4,155 a year ago.
"We expect good sales in the coming Aman season too," he said.
Anwar Faruque, a former agriculture secretary, said an increased number of companies were in the seed business.
"Their promotional campaigns also had an impact," he said.
DAE Director General Badal Chandra Biswas said increased coverage of hybrid was a positive development as overall production would rise.
Regarding increased acreage of Boro, he said new areas had come under Boro cultivation this year. Many tobacco farmers had switched to rice this year, he said.
"We have also seen farmers planting rice after harvesting potato," he said.
Rice Hybridization Program aims to make Davao rice-sufficient

AS DAVAO Region only reached 54 percent rice sufficiency in the last two years, an official from the Department of Agriculture - Davao Region (DA-Davao) said the Rice Hybridization Program would help achieve the goal for the region to become completely rice-sufficient as it will solve the lack of local rice production.
Evelyn Basa, DA-Davao agricultural center chief said during the Agribiz Media Forum, for both 2021 and 2022 Davao Region missed 46 percent to become rice-sufficient.
Rice sufficiency is the ability of the region to produce local rice crops for public consumption.
Basa added that with DA’s efforts of strengthening the Rice Hybridization Program, hybrid rice seeds, along with inbred rice seeds, will be distributed for free to eligible farmers.
“The hybrid rice ay may kakayahang magpa-increase og production (Hybrid variants can increase rice production) by up to 10 to 30 percent based on the techno-demonstrations na gina-conduct namo (that we are conducting) nationwide ,” Basa said.
“For as long as fully irrigated siya mabuhi man ang atong hybrid rice, and tested na pod na siya sa Davao Region (As long as the area is fullyirrigated, our hybrid rice will survive. Seeds are also proven effective here in Davao Region),” she added.
Basa added the department earmarked P492 million for this program, in which 11 variants of hybrid rice seeds will be distributed to eligible farmers.
“They [The farmers] must register first from RSBSA (Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture), then through LGU coordinations gihapon nato sa RFO (regional field office) ato siyang [seeds] i-distribute sa atong farmers,” Basa said.
Basa said hybrid seeds cost P5,000 per bag compared to inbred seeds which only cost P1,520 per bag.
Although hybrid seeds are pricey, they give more return on investment (ROI) than their inbred counterpart.
Basa added that farmers who don’t want to plant hybrid rice, the department can provide them with free inbred seeds.
Based on the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data from 2022, about 490,125 metric tons of rice was produced in Davao Region compared to 2020, which was only 484,000 metric tons.
Basa said the Rice Hybridization Program, which was started through High Yield Technology Adoption for Hybrid Rice Project (HYTA-HR) aims to meet the need for growing food consumption. She added that Davao Region is importing rice from neighboring regions and countries.
Rice VEC Of PARC Recommends 10 New Verities Of Hybrid Seeds For Cultivation
ISLAMABAD – Rice Variety Evaluation Committee (VEC) of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council on Wednesday approved and recommended 10 new hybrids seeds verities for commercial cultivation in order to enhance per-acre crop output of the crop in the country.
Out of the total new approved hybrids seed verities, one variety is long grain that is famous world over for its aroma and taste. The VEC met with Chairman Pakistan Agriculture Research Council Dr Ghulam Muhammad Ali in chair. Dr Muhammad Yousuf, National Coordinator presented the working paper for the sixty-two rice hybrids varieties for consideration and approval. The representatives of national and multinational seed companies including Seed Association of Pakistan, Crop Life Pakistan, Pakistan Hi-tech Hybrid Seed Association and federal and provincial research institutes attended the meeting.
Speaking on the occasion, Chairman PARC highlighted the role of private and public sector in research and development of rice in the country and emphasized the importance of quality seed for enhancing the productivity and profitability of farmers. He asked the seed companies for making efforts to provide high quality of rice to farmers in the country in order to enhance local output of crop to tackle with domestic needs as well as enhancing exports to fetch foreign exchange reserves. Dr Ali also appreciated the role PARC scientists and private-public sector collaboration for taking interest in research and development of rice in the country, adding that the matching efforts would help in ensuring quality high yielding seed verities of wheat, cotton, maize and sugarcane to enhance their productivity.
Dr. Imtiaz Hussain, Chairman Committee and Member Plant Sciences Division PARC presided over the variety evaluation committee meeting and informed participants that PARC is committed to perform its role in variety evaluation in transparent manner in collaboration with National Agricultural Research System.
The Committee recommended nine rice hybrids and one long grain variety for commercial cultivation in the country. Representatives of seed companies appreciated the role of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council for its role in testing of rice hybrids varieties in Pakistan for the benefits of farmers as well as rice sector.
Hybrid rice seeds harvested in Guizhou, SW China

Aerial photo taken on Aug. 11, 2022 shows a view of a hybrid rice seed production base in Zhouping Village of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Yang Ying)

Aerial photo taken on Aug. 11, 2022 shows reapers harvesting hybrid rice seeds at a hybrid rice seed production base in Zhouping Village of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Yang Ying)

Aerial photo taken on Aug. 11, 2022 shows reapers harvesting hybrid rice seeds at a hybrid rice seed production base in Zhouping Village of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Yang Ying)

A reaper harvests hybrid rice seeds at a hybrid rice seed production base in Zhouping Village of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Aug. 11, 2022. (Photo by Yang Yun/Xinhua)

Villagers harvest hybrid rice seeds at a hybrid rice seed production base in Zhouping Village of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Aug. 11, 2022. (Xinhua/Yang Ying)

A villager harvests hybrid rice seeds at a hybrid rice seed production base in Zhouping Village of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Aug. 11, 2022. (Photo by Luo Hui/Xinhua)

A villager dries hybrid rice seeds at a hybrid rice seed production base in Zhouping Village of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Aug. 11, 2022. (Photo by Tang Peng/Xinhua)
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Hybrid rice improves yields for farmers

Fifteen new varieties of rice are set to be released to farmers to boost the production of the local crop.
Fifteen new varieties of rice are set to be released to farmers to boost the production of the local crop which is performing dismally at the moment. One of the hybrids can do well under irrigation, while the other can survive under rain-fed farming, just like maize, thus saving farmers the hefty cost of pumping water for irrigation. “The new varieties will improve yields of rice and make it as competitive as imported rice in terms of quality, price and affordability,” said Dr Kayode Sanni, the rice manager for The African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) which is overseeing the five-year project that was launched in 2012. The yields range from seven to 10 tonnes per hectare, provided that the farmer adheres to good farming practices, including creating good soil conditions for the seedlings. “From our analysis, farmers stand to gain an average of Sh35, 000 to Sh100, 000 more than with the old variety,” he said. According to Electine Wafula, a plant breeder at Hybrids East Africa Limited, who worked on the crop, the new rice varieties will mature early, will adapt to various environments and require less water, thus improving farmers’ incomes. With the exception of Pishori, a local aromatic rice, most locally-grown rice takes longer to mature, than hybrids which mature within three months. However, the problem with Pishori is that it has a lower yield and is also prone to diseases, especially blast. IMPORTED QUALITY Despite being the country’s second staple food, Kenya produces less than 200, 000 metric tonnes of rice against a demand of over 450,000 metric tonnes according to data from the National Irrigation Board. The gap is bridged with imports from Asian countries, further dulling the market for local farmers whose rice is of poorer quality. “The hybrid is of good quality and can replace our indigenous rice. It also has characteristics of Pishori which is loved by Kenyans, and has a more translucent and stronger grain,” said Dr Raphael Wanjogu, the chief research officer at the National Irrigation Board. Despite being popular, many Kenyans opt to buy imported rice over Pishori, because the imported varieties are cheaper. Imports are also of better quality than other varieties of local rice. “This new type is closer to Pishori, so with its quality and yields, it will enable us take over the market from importers. It can also be grown in areas where Pishori cannot do well like in western Kenya,” said Dr Wanjogu. The fast-maturing rice can grow during the short rains since it only takes three months to mature. Maturing even a month faster than competing varieties makes a world of difference in savings for farmers. Other than two sites in Kisumu, the new rice has also been tested in Hola, Malindi, Mwea and Siaya and found to have the desired qualities. The Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis) results for the first national trial done last year were successful whereas the second trial results are being awaited. The law requires that two trials are done. Once the regulator, Kephis, gives the greenlight, the crops will be named and seeds will be distributed to farmers. “We are producing foundation seeds which will be used by farmers and there is a company to multiply the seeds once we get the approvals,” said Dr Sanni. To ensure sustainability, AATF will partner with local seed companies which will produce their own seeds for sale. “We are working with seed companies. We want them to get direct access to quality seeds (male and female) and have the capacity to use them to produce their own seeds,” said Dr Sanni. The scientists are also working on producing rice hybrids that are aromatic in nature.Pakistan to export hybrid rice seed to Philippines

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