The Philippines will soon introduce a high quality rice poised to enter the international market.
It will be called "Lakambini" rice, the Philippine Rice Institute (PhilRice) said.
PhilRice Development Communication Division Head Hazel Antonio bared that they will be coming up with high quality rice that would be at par with other known rice products in the international market like the Japanese rice or Thailand's Jasmine rice.
At present, PhilRice, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA, is promoting Philippine rice to the local market, urging consumers to opt for locally-produced rice over imported rice products.
Antonio said in celebration of the National Rice Awareness Month this year, they are promoting Philippine rice of all varieties of rice produced locally.
"But we’ll be coming up with something like that later on po sa rice," Antonio said, referring to a rice product that will be identified as the Philippine rice.
According to PhilRice Deputy Executive Director Karen Barroga, the country now has a "premium rice" called NSIC Rc 160 which is poised to be the brand of the Philippine rice.
"160 is a premium rice. So, iyong mga iyon maging tatak sana ng (it is being eyed to be the brand of) Philippine rice so that they will have that association na quality rice," Barroga said.
Antonio said they will be launching it as Lakambini rice soon in partnership with Resto PH.
"Iyon po iyong ili-label natin na Philippine Rice na talagang masarap. Ipapakilala din natin hopefully sa ibang bansa na parang Jasmine (We will label that as the Philippine rice that is really high quality. Hopefully, we would introduce it to other countries as well)," Antonio said.
The PhilRice officials, however, did not disclose when will they launch Lakambini rice.