PhilRice has enough rice foundation seeds
MANILA – Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala assured yesterday many farmers and seed growers all over the country enough rice foundation (or grandparent) seeds to produce the needed certified seeds for the next cropping seasons.
Alcala said the Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) is undertaking the project.
He bared this based on a report of PhilRice Executive Director Ronilo Beronio, who said they will allot at least 300 hectares at PhilRice national station in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija and its six branch stations nationwide to produce breeder, foundation and registered rice seeds.
These are simply known as the great grandparent, grandparent and parent, respectively, of certified seeds.
All told, PhilRice maintains 42 hectares and 243 hectares for foundation and registered seed production, respectively.
This current wet season, Beronio said PhilRice is expected to produce 56,971 bags (20 kilos per bag) of registered seeds, which in turn would be enough to produce certified seeds that will be planted to some 4.7 million hectares in 2011.
PhilRice offers different varieties of each seed class. These include IR64, IR42, PSB Rc10, Rc14, Rc18, Rc28, Rc68, Rc74, Rc82, Rc96, and Rc98.
The agency also propagates 27 other rice varieties belonging to the NSIC Rc series.
PhilRice sells seeds to accredited farmer-growers at the following prices per kilo: P 80 for foundation seeds; P 40, registered; and P 30, certified.
Beronio said although PhilRice has a stable supply of basic seeds, it still needs the help of accredited seed growers to produce more certified seeds, and thus adequately supply the needs of farmers.
Aside from foundation and registered seed production, PhilRice produces hybrid seeds such as NSIC Rc202H, Rc204H, Rc136H, and PSB Rc72H. These are planted in 16 hectares with an expected yield of about 700 bags at 18 kg per bag. A kilo of hybrid seeds costs P 195.*PNA
