Written by the Web Team   Her Excellency Ma Keqing, Ambassador of the People`s Republic of China to the Philippines, visited PhilRice Sept. 26, with First Secretary Qui Zhijun and eight other Chinese delegates. The Ambassador toured around the Muñoz Science City Community and met Chinese experts based at the Phil-Sino Center for Agricultural Technology (PhilScat) and PhilRice. Among the project collaborations between PhilSCAT and PhilRice include the former’s membership […]

Written by the Web Team   Two months before farmers in irrigated areas plant their rice crop for the next planting season, a crop protection expert of Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) advised farmers to use clean seeds to avoid weed infestation. “The use of certified seeds helps lessen the population of weedy rice on infested fields and ensures better harvest by improving rice yields by 10%,” Edwin Martin said. […]

Written by the Web Team   Economists, policymakers, researchers, and representatives from the rice sector reviewed the Philippine trade policies and set the sector’s direction in a seminar held in Makati City, Sept. 26. Aileen C. Litonjua, a researcher from the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), said outputs of the seminar would aid legislators in creating policies that will secure and promote local products and protect producers amidst the expiration […]

Written by the Web Team   Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), the country’s lead in rice research and development, maintains optimism that the country could be rice self-sufficient in 2013. Dr. Flordeliza H. Bordey, PhilRice socio-economist, said the country was 92% rice self-sufficient in 2011 at current domestic rice prices while import dependency was reduced to 8% with about 800,000-900,000 mt of rice bought from other countries.  “Rice production in […]

Written by the Web Team   Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Sec. Mario G. Montejo encouraged the rice sector to be smart during the recent 25th National Rice Research and Development Conference held at Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in Science City of Muñoz, Nueva, Ecija. “The industry must overcome constraints on rice production such as inadequate supply of quality seeds, prevalence of post-production and post-harvest losses, and high […]

Written by the Web Team   In the recently concluded Communication Policy Research (CPR)south7 and CPRafrica Conference in Mauritius, Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) researcher Jaime A.  Manalo IV called for training infomediaries in the uplands. Infomediaries are people who facilitate access to information.  In Manalo’s research, he stressed the importance of mobilizing high school students to perform infomediary roles. Looking at the activity patterns and time allocations of the […]

Written by the Web Team   Rice plants in the no-tillage demonstration trial at Brgy. Dimasalang Sur, Talavera, Nueva Ecija stood strong unlike other crops that lodged with the recent heavy rains and strong winds. “I’m happy with the result of no-tillage technology or preparing the field without plowing and harrowing. My plants have more tillers and the leaves are more robust. Never thought though that this practice could minimize […]

Written by the Web Team   The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in Murcia, Negros will widen its hybrid rice seed production area supporting Department of Agriculture (DA) Sec. Proceso J. Alcala’s request for expansion during his station visit, Sept. 11. Engr. Leo C. Javier, PhilRice branch manager, said DA is targeting 1,000 ha to be planted in Visayas and Mindanao starting this year until 2013 as strategy to help […]

Dr. Eufemio T. Rasco Jr, PhilRice executive director, pushed for green and smart farming to transform the current food system during the 25th National Rice Research and Development Conference held in Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, Sept. 4-6. Green initiatives aim to reduce external input, particularly energy, while smart initiatives are knowledge-intensive and labor-reducing technologies. In his opening address, Rasco said the present food system needs changes as food […]

Written by the Web Team   Dr. Eufemio T. Rasco Jr, PhilRice executive director, pushed for green and smart farming to transform the current food system during the 25th National Rice Research and Development Conference held in Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, Sept. 4-6. Green initiatives aim to reduce external input, particularly energy, while smart initiatives are knowledge-intensive and labor-reducing technologies. In his opening address, Rasco said the present […]