Experts bare findings on ‘freak’ rice harvest

Agriculture and agronomy experts from the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and the University of the Philippines in Los Baños (UPLB) recently confirmed earlier findings that the below-par performance of a high-yielding hybrid rice variety in some parts of Isabela was due to "cold stress" arising from the unusually low temperature in those areas in November to December of last year and the first part of this year.

Agriculture Secretary Luis Lorenzo Jr. asked the team of experts from PhilRice and UPLB to undertake the probe following reports that Magilas 500 planted in the areas did not perform as well as it did in Mindanao.

Rice farmers from Agusan, Davao del Sur, South Cotabato and other Mindanao provinces reported average increases of 30 percent in their harvest with the use of Magilas 500. The percentage increase translates into some five to 7.5 metric tons of rice harvest per hectare, a landmark improvement from previous levels of 3.5 metric tons per hectare of irrigated land and 2.5 metric tons per hectare of rain-fed using traditional rice varieties.

The record harvest in Mindanao, however, was not duplicated in Isabela.

According to the experts, farms seeded in November last year were more severely affected that those planted in mid to late December. "Low temperature ranging from 15 to 18 degrees Celsius during the third week of January 2003 coincided with the critical reproductive stage of the late November and early December plantings," the experts said.

They noted, however, that the pollen fertility of Magilas 500 in areas where there were no cold stress reached up to 99 percent. They also ruled out earlier speculations that there may have been mistakes in seed labeling or that weak parent seeds may have been used in the hybridization process.

"Magilas 500 performed well in Mindanao and Visays," the expert noted.

According to Lorenzo, the results of the PhilRice-UPLB study "is crucial to the government's hybrid rice strategy." He said the agriculture department will seriously consider the recommendations made by the PhilRice-UPLB experts who batted for intensive testing of hybrid rice varieties in cold environments.

"We will continue to plug all loopholes in the hybrid rice program," Lorenzo said. This will be done with the cooperation of all sectors in rice, he added. He also said he is optimistic that the hybrid rice strategy will show results by early next year.

The government has identified hybrid rice production "as a flagship strategy for attaining self-sufficiency in this staple food crop." President Arroyo gave hybrid rice production a push through Administrative Order 25 which launched the Unlad-Ani Program.

In addition to Magilas 500, which was developed by international agricultural research leader Monsanto, Philipine rice farmers have also begun using the Mestizo variety developed by the PhilRice.

Lorenzo said the government "is optimistic that the country can slow down rice importation in the near future with the growing domestic propagation of hybrid rice." A possible review of the rice pricing policy as a result of increased harvest levels is not too far off, he added.

Lorenzo said President Arroyo has directed the Agriculture Department to speed up the domestic propagation of hybrid rice varieties and has set aside some P450 million last year for this purpose.

He said a total 125,000 hectares for both wet and dry season planting has been set aside for the current year. The total area corresponds to a projected output increment of some 500,000 metric tons of palay or 325,000 metric tons of rice.

The country currently requires some 20.931 million metric tons of rice to feed an estimated population of 76.4 million. However, Lorenzo said current palay production of 12.9 million metric tons falls of this requirement.

The government, at present, fills the supply gap through rice importation mainly from Vietnam, Thailand and India. Through the National Food Authority, the government imports an average of 375,000 metric tons of rice from these countries.