Brown rice for sale in Batac market. The Rayuray Farmers’ Cooperative of the RiceBIS Community in Batac City, Ilocos Norte secured a stall to sell its products, including brown rice at the city’s public market. Mayor Albert D. Chua leads the ribbon-cutting and opening of the One-Barangay-One-Product (OBOP) stall.  The OBOP stall will not only provide steady supply of brown rice, but will also help the Rayuray Farmers’ Cooperative increase […]

Government support in the form of yield-enhancing and cost-reducing technologies could help boost our farmers’ confidence to continue producing rice and compete in an open rice market. The use of high-quality inbred seeds among our farmers is the first step in achieving a competitive yield

“The trick: if the soil is saturated and golden apple snails (GAS) cannot swim, then they cannot damage the rice.” This is how Leonardo V. Marquez, expert from PhilRice Crop Protection Division,  simplified the results of their 2017 study that showed controlled irrigation as the most practical and effective management strategy against GAS infestation. Results show that for transplanted and direct-seeded rice, saturated field condition treatment yielded higher or comparable […]

Despite differences in farm wage, female workers persevere, that just in Central Luzon, there’s a female for every two male farmers. With the involvement of women in agriculture, PhilRice has come up with gender-friendly machines.

The public can now rely on more accurate biotechnology information as agriculture workers participated in a seminar workshop in San Fernando, Pampanga and Ilagan City, Isabela. . In the two-day activity, regional field offices of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Regions II and III were briefed about the biotech program, principles and applications, regulatory system, and locally developed biotechnology products such as Bt Talong and Golden Rice. Crispulo G. […]

More hybrid rice seed growers for Mindanao. Availability and accessibility of hybrid rice seeds in the country’s second largest island can now be assured with the addition of 50 farmer-seed growers. Having graduated in a hybrid rice seed production training, April 29 in Davao City, they are equipped to produce hybrids using the two- and three-line method. Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) promotes Mestizo 1 and Mestiso 20. M1 yields […]

Farmers often get excited come harvest time. Unfortunately, some overlook that postproduction practices are as important as growing rice. A 2010 study by the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization shows that 16.47% of rice is lost on postproduction. When saved, experts said, the losses could have covered the amount of rice imported annually. Dealing with rice the right way 1. Harvest at the right time As rice varieties […]

April is special for the Philippine rice industry because it was proclaimed as the Panagyaman Festival Month, the national celebration of bountiful harvest. Such festive events could be very enticing to attend because of extravagance, colorful food, and the opportunity for income-generating activities. Amidst merriments, the Philippine festivals are more than what meets the eye. Here are some symbols and their meanings embedded in selected Philippine agricultural festivals such as […]

TARIFFICATION LAW EXPLAINED: About 1500 farmers, seed growers, extension workers, and students join PalayTalakayan, a forum led by PhilRice Central Experiment Station, which aimed to clarify the issues raised by farmers about the Rice Tariffication and Liberalization Law (Republic Act 11203). Participating agencies discussed rice buffer stocking, palay procurement, machine distribution plan, seed production allocation,and cooperative formations. Farmers were joined by Department of Finance, Department of Agriculture, Philippine Center for […]

PHOTO RESOURCE ADMINISTRATORS (PRA): A more efficient knowledge management is expected with the newly-formed PhilRice photographers. Trained on basic photography and photo editing,the 38 designated PRAs will lead their respective offices in photo documentation and storage. With Carlo G. Dacumos, senior creative specialist as lead facilitator and trainer, the three-day activity was conducted at PhilRice CES, April  23-25.