Hybrid rice production on the rise

Hybrid rice production is on the rise and more commercial crop producers and farmers are reaping the rewards of this new technology.

It’s easy to understand why. Hybrid rice, particularly Bigante rice seeds (distributed by Bayer CropScience with Tel. No. 450-3645), grows easily, is generally tolerant to pests and other diseases, promises a bigger yield, and is a healthy and tasty alternative to other rice varieties.

Of the many success stories about hybrid rice, the ones that stand out are those of General Pacifico Lopez Deleon of Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija, and Magdalena "Magding" Gonzales of Southern Leyte. These individuals are shining examples of what one can achieve with the right amount of dedication, commitment, resourcefulness, and, of course, Bigante.

Deleon, one of the prime movers of rice hybridization in Central Luzon, started with only a few hectares of land in Barangay Casa General. Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija in 1953. The farm has since grown to about a hundred hectares of fully irrigated ricelands scattered in different towns of the province.

For three straight years, Deleon has been using Bigante to increase his yield and meet the food requirements of the growing population. He believes that rice production is the backbone of our economy. So far, he has not been disappointed with Bigante in terms of germination, performance, and yield. With this variety, Deleon said production has increased from around 60 cavans per hectare to an average of 100 cavans per hectare.

Southern Leyte is the home of Magding Gonzales, a true public servant. As the agricultural project coordinating officer of the Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Field Unit VII, Gonzales effectively implemented the hybrid rice program in the region in spite of her limited resources and amidst the initial apprehensions and objections of farmers.

To facilitate the transfer technology in the area, Gonzales sought the support of various agricultural companies, including Bayer CropScience, for technical assistance. She also turned to Congressman Odong Saludo and Gov. Rosette Y. Lirias. Through the combined efforts of Gonzales, her benefactors, and the DA, over 28 hectares of Techno-Demo Farms were set up in 2003. These farms allowed to observe the actual performance and advantages of four different hybrid rice varieties against traditional rice varieties.

As expected, the farmers favored the use of Bigante owing to its high yield. Since then, about 370 hectares of farmland has been dedicated to Bigante. For this year, Gonzales projects that around 2,500 hectares will be used for the commercial production of the said hybrid rice variety.