The Philippines
August 10, 2017
To increase public hybrid rice seed and commercial production in the Philippines, PhilRice conducted its first consultative meeting and planning workshop with seed growers and rice focal persons from Central Luzon, August 8.
Richard Romanillos, science research specialist, urged the participants to engage in hybrid rice seed production to make hybrid seeds more available in the region in response to farmers’ public hybrid seed requirements, such as Mestiso 19 and 20 that have average seed yields of 1-2t/ha and 1.5-18t/ha.
This activity is in support to the Public Hybrid Rice Commercialization Program of PhilRice. Leylani Juliano, program lead, said the Institute aims to increase the use of hybrids for higher grain yield and produce labor opportunities in the rural rice-growing communities.
According to studies, every hectare of commercial hybrid rice production needs more workers, roughly 270 man-days of farm labor.
Henry Lim, chairman of Seed to Rice Cooperative, shared that hybrid rice seed production today is better because the solutions are now available to cope with production-related problems.
On marketing, Bernadette Centiles, Vice Chairman of Davao Oriental Seed Producers Cooperative said, “It is a must that quality seeds should be readily available in every area to ensure high-production output.”
Meanwhile,to help convince the farmers to venture in hybrid seed and commercial production, the 3rd quarter issue of PhilRice Magazine focuses on hybrid rice.
Click here to download the issue.
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