Chinese rice hybrids to boost RP yields

Honed to state-of-the-art by China, hybrid technology could jack up rice harvests, by a badly-needed 68 million metric tons in six Asian countries, where emerging shortages in land and water interlock with a flood of people into cities and shifts in incomes.

"China's 20 years of hybrid rice experience has demonstrated the potential of (this) technology... as a promising source of immediate increases in yield and output of rice in the Philippines, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam."

This is the conclusion of a report prepared for the "Hybrid Rice Project of Asia" -- a joint undertaking by Asian Development Bank and the International Rice Research and Institute.

Dr. Achilles Costales of University of the Philippines (Los Baños) wrote the report, as consultant for Asia and Pacific Seed Association.

"Expansion in relative demand for rice, between 1993 and 2020, will be around 46 percent," the study estimates. "The strongest demand pressures will be the Philippines, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka."

Population increases, shrinking harvests, costly inputs required by the "miracle rice" developed in the 1970s exacerbate growing shortages in arable land and water.

"The fastest deceleration is yield growth has occurred in Indonesia and the Philippines," the report added.

Over the last 16 years, IRRI collaborated with national agricultural research systems in laying the foundation for wider use, under tropical condition of this technology that splices different varieties.

If these initial programs go well, three million hectares could be sown to hybrids, by the end of this year. In the six countries covered by the study, Vietnam will have 15 percent of its irrigated area sown to hybrids.

Hybrid seeds are the first input needed, if the six countries tap into this technology. By 2010, seed required would be 326,500 metric tons. But overall increase in harvests could crest at 16.3 million tons.