Brunei, Myanmar adopt hybrid rice tech

MANILA, Philippines - Encouraged by the benefits of hybrid rice technology, Brunei Darussalam and Myanmar (formerly Burma), two of the world’s biggest rice consuming countries, are also going into hybrid rice production to meet their growing demand for the cereal.

This was learned from Henry Lim, SL Agritech Corp. chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) who was in Brunei recently on the invitation of Mashhor General Contractor Sdn. Bhd. to discuss a possible joint venture agreement (JVA) on hybrid rice production.

Lim was with Dr. Noel Mamicpic and Dr. Frisco Malabanan, vice president for quality control and technical consultant, respectively, of SL Agritech Corp.

Lim’s party also met with Permanent Secretary Hajah Normah S.H. Jamil and Deputy Permanent Secretary Hajah Hasnah, Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources, to discuss the possible hybrid rice production project in Brunei.

Lim said Myanmar Union Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, U Myint Hlaing, was in town over the weekend to discuss his country’s plan to import hybrid rice seeds particularly the firm’s high-yielding SL-8H variety.

The meeting with Minister U was held at SL Agritech’s 40-hectare hybrid rice research and demo (R&D) farm in Barangay Oogong in Sta. Cruz, Laguna, where the Myanmar official was briefed on the firm’s nationwide operation.

 Minister U also visited SL Agritech’s 15.6-hectare demo farm planted to parental hybrid rice seeds in Barangay Masapang, also in Laguna, where Dr. Weijun Xu, a Chinese rice scientist who is vice president of SL Agritech for international operation, explained to him “the efficient techniques of planting and harvesting hybrid rice. Dr. Weijun was formerly with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

Also present during the Myanmar agriculture minister’s visit were SL Agritech officials, among them Dr. Mamicpic, Prof. Zhang Zhaodong, vice president for research and development; Dr. Malabanan, Brian Lim, head of the firm’s rice division and former Food Minister Jesus Tanchanco. 

John Ba Maw, in-charge of the seed department of the International Sun Moon Star Agriculture Co., Ltd. in Myanmar, who was with Minister U’s party, said in an interview that he himself “is convinced that using the hybrid seed technology will accelerate growth in our rice production.”

“I strongly believe that hybrid rice production is our stepping stone towards the improvement of our agricultural economy,” he said.  

While in Brunei, Lim’s group also met with the staff of Mashhor head Wan Krisnadi Bte Haji Osman, general manager of Hal-Foods SDN-BHD, Ferdinand de Chavez, Wan Shahin Hairuddin Bin Hj Ariffin, Dr. Hj Hatta B Hj Abidin, Mohd Saifur Rahman and Hj Osman Bin Haji Omar.

Lim said Mashhor will visit the Philippines sometime this November to finalize the joint venture agreement and to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU).

“SL Agritech and Mashhor initially agreed to establish a five-hectare hybrid rice technology demonstration farm using our SL-8H, SL-7H and SL-9H hybrid rice varieties. The seeds will be provided by us free of charge and will hire a qualified staff from the Philippines to provide the technical assistance to Brunei during the production cycle.” Lim explained.

He said however, that Mashhor will have to pay for the plane fare, salary and accommodation of the technical staff from SL Agritech.

Lim said the expansion of the hybrid rice production areas will be done after the initial trials in Brunei, as well as in Sulawesi, Indonesia for Brunei Darussalam to achieve 60 percent self-sufficiency in rice production by 2015.