OPA supports local rice seeds growers

Aiming to help the local rice seed growers and local farmers in the province of Bohol, the rice seeds intervention of the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) will shift starting this year from hybrid to inbred seeds, along with the provision of organic and inorganic fertilizers and pesticides.

Maricel C. Barloso, Provincial Rice Program Focal Person, OPA said that in the process the PGBh will procure the inbred seeds and to be given to Boholano seed growers to be planted on the first cropping of wet season in May and June 2025.

Once it will be harvested, the PGBh will buy back the yields from the seed growers and give it to the local farmers to be planted in the second cropping in October and November.

The province of Bohol has a total physical rice area of 58, 222 hectares, of which 30,416 hectares are rainfed and 27, 806 hectares are irrigated, mostly located in San Miguel, Pilar, Ubay, Talibon and Sierra-Bullones.

Of the 30,416 hectares of rainfed rice areas, only 23,777 hectares will receive inbred seeds from PhilRice through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Program, leaving a gap of 6,639 hectares. Meanwhile, of the 27,806 hectares of irrigated areas, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has provided hybrid seeds for 16,000 hectares, resulting in a gap of 11,806 hectares.

The gaps of 6, 639 hectares for inbred and 11, 806 hectares for hybrid or a total of 18, 445 hectares will be targeted to be filled up by the provincial government with inbred rice seeds.

Barloso said that the PGBh found advantages for inbred rice seeds to fill up the gaps because; its yield can still be used for planting in the next cropping season not the same with the hybrid rice seeds of which its yields are cannot be planted again, helping the local rice seed growers in securing their markets through rice seeds and palay buy- back programs of the PGBh, in such a way the money for buy-back would only circulate in the province of Bohol.

The price of hybrid rice seeds compared to inbred has a big disparity as the hybrid costs P400 per kilogram, while the inbred is P45 only. However, in terms of yield the hybrid seeds would come up with a high yield compared to inbred. Barloso disclosed that to date, the employees assigned to the rice section of the Crops Division, OPA are now doing monitoring the reported pests and diseases on the reproductive stage of planted rice in some isolated areas in second and third districts in Bohol and monitoring the buying prices of palay and retooling of rice production. By Atoy Cosap