Written by the Web Team   As the National Year of Rice (NYR2013) enters the last quarter of the year, the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) is calling for moves in 2014 to make the country`s rice economy competitive, sustainable, and resilient. According to Dr. Manuel Regalado, PhilRice deputy executive director for research, the Philippines imported only 200,000 tons (t) of rice this year, which is relatively lower from the […]

Written by the Web Team   Amid the ongoing debate on the country’s capability to achieve rice self-sufficiency, and the finger pointing on who is at fault for reportedly unstable rice prices, the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) said that it is high time that the issue on rice wastage be addressed thoroughly. Hazel Antonio, campaign director of the National Year of Rice 2013 (NYR2013), said that local […]

Written by the Web Team   More than 600 farmers from Regions 4A and 4B were recently congratulated for their hard work that will help the country achieve rice self-sufficiency. During the recent Farmers` Field Day in Los Baños, Laguna, local government officials, professors, and researchers, consultants and executives from different agencies extended their heartfelt gratitude to the 600 farmers from MIMAROPA and CALABARZON. The farmers were overwhelmed with the […]

Written by the Web Team   The mechanization of rice farms will result in the creation of more jobs, according to an engineer from the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice). “Most farmers are hesitant to accept rice mechanization because they think this will displace them from work. But displaced workers in the farm can become farm machine operators, fabricators or technicians,” said Eden Gagelonia, PhilRice engineer and head of the […]

Written by the Web Team   Dr. Roel R. Suralta, one of the country`s pioneering researchers in root studies based at the Philippine Rice Research Institute, is one of this year`s Presidential Lingkod Bayan awardees. The Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award is “conferred on an individual or group for exceptional contributions resulting from an idea or performance that had nationwide impact on public interest.” Suralta was also conferred the Scientist I […]

Written by the Web Team   The challenge of Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) to farmers to produce 10 t/ha and limiting expenses to P5 for every kilo produced under the Palayabangan: 10-5 Challenge will help prepare farmers for the free trade in 2015. In his speech during the PhilRice-hosted Lakbay-Palay 2013, Dr. Eufemio Rasco Jr., PhilRice executive director, said that one of the issues confronting the country’s economy, including […]

Written by the Web Team   A group of indigenous peoples in Occidental Mindoro will benefit from the Farmers` Field Day recently conducted by the local government of the province and Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice). Comprising 30 percent of the total population of the province, the more than 150 Mangyan farmers came from Ulanguan, Banganay, and Sili. The field day highlighted the varietal trial of eight different rice varieties, […]

Written by the Web Team   Agriculture Secretary Proceso J Alcala is optimistic that the country will soon achieve rice self-sufficiency, as he witnessed good harvests of palay (paddy rice) in the provinces of Isabela and North Cotabato. Emphasizing that 2013 is officially the National Year of Rice, Alcala said the country’s farmers are now more inspired to produce more rice for the country’s food needs. In his visit to […]

Written by the Web Team   A water saving irrigation technology being promoted by PhilRice will be expanded to other areas under the Mlang/Malasila River Irrigation Systems (MLARIS), which will help the country achieve rice self-sufficiency. National Irrigation Administration-MLARIS Principal Engineer Flora May D. Respicio said that Controlled Irrigation (CI), a PhilRice-promoted water saving technology (WST), is a practical water saving technique in expanding irrigation serviceable areas. It can increase […]

Written by the Web Team   Four varieties released in 2011 were found to be tungro-resistant in Western Visayas, a study, which won the Best Poster Award under the rice breeding theme during the recent 26th National Rice Research and Development Conference, showed. The study titled, Genotypic responses of newly released rice varieties to local rice diseases in Western Visayas, showed that NSIC Rc238, Rc278, Rc280, and Rc282 showed resistance […]