30 more highland rice types found

“TINAWON,” a variety of Ifugao indigenous rice is planted only once a year at paddies in Nagacadan rice terraces of Barangay Nagacadan in Ifugao’s Kiangan town. EV ESPIRITU/INQUIRER NORTHERN LUZON

BAGUIO CITY—Researchers developing a rice gene bank for the country have found 30 more varieties of highland grains, three of which are nearly extinct and would need to be preserved immediately.

Over 300 indigenous rice varieties have been genetically examined, documented and preserved by a team deployed by the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Philippine Rice Research Institute and the International Rice Research Institute, said Cameron Odsey, DA Cordillera assistant director for research, during a June 11 news conference.

Of the 30 highland varieties that have not been previously documented and collected, 16 are common to Mt. Province, Odsey said.

‘Nearly extinct’

He said three of these varieties are extremely rare and classified as “nearly extinct.” This meant that researchers would need to preserve as much genetic material of the “near extinct” rice so it could be reproduced in the future, he said.

He did not identify these upland rice varieties pending the completion of the gene bank project. But he said the sustenance and preservation of these varieties have become a government priority.

Rice consumers abroad have put a high premium on organic grains grown only in upland farms. Heirloom rice varieties like the Kalinga “unoy” and Ifugao “tinawon” grown on rice terraces are considered too exotic and expensive, Odsey said.Vincent Cabreza, Inquirer Northern Luzon