Agritech multiplies grain harvest

Agritech multiplies grain harvest | Daily Tribune

A farmer has just breached his record for producing the highest reported yield per hectare of rice in the Bicol region.

Genaro Tamon from Bombon town in Camarines Sur harvested a record yield of 15.78 metric tons of rice last 17 April 2024 in just a hectare of land using SeedWorks Philippines’ US 88 Premium Long Grain hybrid rice variety.

The rice yield exceeded the record 15.73 metric tons of rice Tamon harvested in May 2020 (during the height of the pandemic).

Back then, the yield was more than thrice the then-national yield per hectare average of 4.07 metric tons (based on applicable quarterly data at that time from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

After four years, Tamon repeated the milestone and surpassed albeit slightly his record.

This year’s 15.78-metric ton rice harvest per hectare is more than three times the national average yield per hectare of 4.17 metric tons per hectare (based on PSA data by the end of 2023).

The latest record harvest produced 263 cavans or sacks of rice with an average weight of 60 kilograms per cavan or sack. At the prevailing farm gate price of P21.50 per kilogram during the time of harvest, Tamon earned a gross revenue of P339,270 in one season.

“Tamon only used 15 kilograms of hybrid rice seeds in a hectare which SeedWorks Philippines produced and imported from SeedWorks in India,” SeedWorks Philippines president Carlos Saplala said.

“His paddy yield is over three times the national average rice yield. That is about 11.63 metric tons per hectare higher than the average yield in the Philippines.”

Saplala further explained that this achievement consistently demonstrates the potential of US 88 hybrid rice varieties in helping lessen the country’s current dependency on rice imports.

“At around 65 percent milling recovery, we are saving our country from importing more than 7,500 kilograms of milled rice per hectare. Instead, we have to import 15 kilograms of the seed,” he pointed out.

US 88 hybrid rice variety

SeedWorks’ US 88 Premium Long Grain hybrid rice variety is among the flagship hybrid rice varieties of the plant science company in the country. It is ideal for the prevailing climate and for its tolerance to typical crop diseases affecting rice plants.

The rice produced is also noted for its long grain with a premium, soft quality that discerning rice eaters usually prefer.

“SeedWorks developed the US 88 hybrid rice variety here in the Philippines, but the seeds are produced in India where there is a more pronounced dry season. Producing the hybrid seeds or F1 requires a diurnal or difference in day and night temperature of around 8 to 10 degrees Celsius, which as we have observed in the irrigated lowland rice areas in the Philippines is inconsistent,” Saplala explained.

“There should also be no rain during flowering to get a good seed setting. As we all know, the rainfall pattern in the Philippines has always been unpredictable,” he added.

SeedWorks Philippines’ US 88 hybrid rice variety can be availed through the company’s various agricultural partners nationwide. Rice farmers can also approach their local Department of Agriculture offices for free or subsidized seeds.

SeedWorks Philippines has been consistently supporting the national government’s goal to offer more affordable rice to Filipino families, a commitment of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. since he assumed office. Recently, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) announced its target to start selling rice at P29 per kilo in Kadiwa stores nationwide by August this year.

The agency said it has procured around 100 million kilos of rice through a 40,000-hectare contract farming agreement.