SL Agritech brings hybrid rice farming to Myanmar

MANILA, Philippines - Hybrid rice and seed grower SL Agritech Corp. has signed an agreement with the government of Myanmar to provide technical assistance in growing hybrid rice.

The agreement was signed between Myanmar Agriculture Minister Myint Hlaing and SL Agritech chairman Henry Lim Bon Liong in the presence of Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala.

Myanmar made the invitation to SL Agritech during the Asean Agriculture Ministers Summit held in Makati last month.

The neighboring Southeast Asian nation is particularly interested in propagating the SL-8H variety that yields 10 metric tons per hectare.

After years of military rule, Myanmar is opening trade channels to the world. The country has 6.14 million hectares of rice cultivation area but is looking at 17 million hectares of uncultivated arable land that can be planted with rice.

At present, Myanmar has no existing commercial hybrid rice variety.

The Myanmar government is opening up its agriculture sector to investors through a new law granting five-year tax exemption and land leases of up to 50 years for investments in agriculture. This is to allow Myanmar to participate in the vibrant rice trade in Asia.

SL Agritech is one of the large hybrid rice producers in the country. It produces the Dona Maria brand of premium rice in Miponica and Jasponica varieties.

The company has various partnerships for hybrid rice seed production in Asian nations such as Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Cambodia.