SL Agritech, a Filipino company engaged in the research, development, production, and distribution of hybrid rice seed and premium quality rice, strengthens its advocacy on helping the Philippines achieve food security by showcasing hybrid seed technology across farming communities locally and internationally.

“As a company highly engaged in the research and development of hybrid seed varieties, it is important for us to bring local farming communities on board with modern technologies in an effort to equip and help them produce more harvest each season. It is our mission to bridge the gap within the current agricultural landscape by showcasing accessible and affordable ways to keep up with the changing times,” said SL Agritech Executive Vice President (EVP) Michelle Lim-Gankee.

Its Doña Maria® Premium Quality Rice is exported to North America, Canada, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, Bahrain, Israel, Pakistan, Australia, Singapore, Guam and the Marshall Islands.

This year, the company has been consistently partnering with several organizations to promote high-yielding seed varieties that are envisioned to help the country produce enough rice supply for the growing population.

SL Agritech participated in the National Rice Technology Forum (NRTF) where they were joined by 3,000 farmers and 500 Agricultural Extension Workers (AEW) from different provinces across the Ilocos Region. The event focused on transferring modern rice technology, particularly hybrid rice seeds to rice farmers all over the country.

The company showcased the benefits of hybrid seeds through educational demonstrations and technology forum sessions that will help farmers holistically understand the seeds’ actual performance in the field and assess the potential of these varieties. The event aimed to obtain at least a 2-metric ton (MT) yield advantage from inbred seeds that the farmers are currently using.

Aside from the NRTF, SL Agritech also participated in international trade shows like Agrilink 2022 and IFEX 2022, where they were able to showcase a variety of their products to local and international markets. One of which is Dona Maria Premium Quality Rice – a brand that offers a wide range of premium packaged rice products.

Currently, Dona Maria is the only packaged rice brand in the Philippines that is being exported across the globe. Their wide selection of premium quality rice is known to be ISO, GMP, HACCP and Halal certified – this helps the brand gain further recognition and credibility in the international market.

Agrilink is the Philippines' largest international agribusiness event. The exhibit allows different entrepreneurs and professionals from the agricultural sector to come together and showcase their products, information technology, equipment, and services. Countries participating in the event include France, China, Korea, the United States of America, Germany, Thailand, and the Netherlands among others.

Further strengthening its relations with the local and international crowd, SL Agritech participated in this year’s IFEX Philippines. Dubbed as the country’s long-running and biggest export-oriented food show, IFEX is composed of product exhibitions, business matching activities, seminars, and special events. By consistently leading programs for the research and development of hybrid seeds and strategically partnering with various industry-wide gatherings, SL Agritech strives to be the one of the leaders that boost progress in the rice and seeds sectors.

Currently, SL Agritech has several partner communities across the country, most of them in Central Luzon, who benefit from contract growing programs that involve the use of their proprietary hybrid seed varieties. SL Agritech engages in a “buy-back guarantee” amongst their partners to ensure that farmers will gain back their income during harvest season.

“Our vision has always been to help the country and, more importantly, our farmers. As we discover solutions that will help stabilize our rice production, we want to make sure that our rice farmers are not left behind. The journey that we are taking towards rice self-sufficiency will center on uplifting rice farmers and our local rice products across the country and the world,” said Henry Lim Bon Liong, CEO of SL Agritech.