Farmers told: Beware of fake hybrid rice seeds

SCIENCE CITY OF MUÑOZ— Officials of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) here warned farmers against businessmen who are passing off ordinary rice seeds as those of hybrid rice and are using bags bearing the agency’s name and logo to attract buyers.

“They are making big money. They are selling the seeds at P4,000 to P6,000 per 20-kilogram bag,” said Dr. Eufemio Rasco Jr., PhilRice executive director. “They are not only making big money out of it but are  also sabotaging efforts to increase rice production.”

Rasco said certified hybrid rice seeds used by farmers for planting have a government-approved price of P1,200 per 40-kg bag.

The use of hybrid rice seeds for commercial planting is known to increase yield by at least 15 percent.

There were reported cases that with the use of hybrid rice seeds, a number of farmers were able to harvest more than 300 cavans per hectare.

Mention of hybrid rice seed has become a magnet for farmers in the hope of obtaining higher rice yield. It has also become a source for anomaly for scheming profiteers, PhilRice officials said. Anselmo Roque, Inquirer Central Luzon