The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) has 18 varieties of rice seeds being distributed to farmers based on the quality of soil in the province.
PhilRice Exec. Dir. John De Leon said PhilRice is encouraging farmers to use the seeds because they have been proven to be high-yielding varieties.
PhilRice, according to de Leon, is mandated to generate farming technologies to strengthen Philippine rice and rice-based agriculture.
De Leon appeared during the hearing held by Senate Finance Subcommittee ‘’B’’ on the proposed 2023 budget of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and its attached agencies.
During the budget hearing, Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III asked PhilRice if it could show some conclusions regarding its rice-related research from its 37 years of existence.
Pimentel wanted to know if PhilRice had developed seeds that are suitable for the soil of a specific province or region.