Planting hybrid rice is more profitable, says farmer leader

STO. DOMINGO, Nueva Ecija , Philippines  — A leader of a farmers cooperative here disputed a claim of a former provincial official that planting hybrid rice is more expensive than producing the traditional rice variety.

“I admit that planting the hybrid rice variety is expensive but as has been proven, its yield is much, much higher than inbred,” (Inaamin ko na ang pagtatanim ng hybrid rice variety ay malaki ng kaunti ang nagagastos, ngunit may pruweba naman na hamak laki ang inaani dito kumpara sa inbred), said Florencio Sudoy, chairman of the 150-strong Bagong Buhay ng Mabini Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BBMMPC) here.

Sudoy said that in his barangay, practically all the farmers are now planting the high-yielding SL-8H hybrid rice variety “because of the benefits we are getting in terms of yield and income.”

“Talaga naming halos lahat kami na bumubuo ng kooperatibang ito ay masasaya dahil nga sa sunod-sunod na taong paglaki ng aming inaaning palay na hybrid,” he said.

Sudoy cited Nemecio Pantaleon, a member of his group who made a record harvest of 245 cavans per hectare. Pantaleon’s harvest last year, he said, was only 134 cavans. “Tumaas ang kanyang ani ngayon ng 111 cabans kada ektarya” he said.

According to Sudoy, another farmer in his barangay, Edgar Domingo, harvested a total of 231 cavans or an increase of 71 cavans from his last year’s harvest of 160 cavans.

Barely two months ago, the office of the provincial agriculturist and SL Agritech Corp., honored 10 farmers here who were adjudged top producers of hybrid rice, at rites held at the Palayan Convention Hall in Palayan City.

Severino Payumo, 69, bested 45 other farmers, chalking up a record harvest of 345.7 cavans per hectare by planting the SL-8 hybrid rice variety.

Payumo, a barangay captain of Buliran in Cabanatuann City, was followed by Ricardo Buenaventura of Tabacao, Talabera who produced 266 cavans per hectare, and Severino Velasquez of Barangay Sta. Rita, Jaen, who harvested 230 cavans per hectare. They also planted the SL-811 hybrid seeds variety.

Hybrid rice production, according to the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), is one of the best options to increase farm productivity and income. Its study showed that hybrid rice can increase yield eight to 14 percent, as more hybrid rice farmers harvest five tons a hectare, a production which is higher than that of inbred rice farmers.