The widespread adoption of innovative rice varieties in the country is under threat amid a tug-of-war of competing aims among key players in the rice value chain, according to a study.

Researchers from the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and Central Luzon State University (CLSU) found that the adoption of rice varieties developed by the former—NSIC Rc 160 in particular—is slowly gaining national prominence and acceptability among consumers.

NSIC Rc 160, also known as Tubigan 14, is recognized by PhilRice as one of its most popular rice varieties since it was first approved for release nearly two decades ago.

The variety is famed for its good eating quality, characterized by its soft texture, which commands a premium market price of about ₱1 to ₱2 per kilo over ordinary rice.

Some traders and millers even regard Rc 160 as a strong competitor to imported rice varieties, reflected by its strong uptake in Luzon and Mindanao.

Despite this, the study noted that the variety’s wider adoption is constrained by misaligned priorities among stakeholders involved in the value chain—namely the government, breeders, seed growers, farmers, rice millers, and traders.

It noted that the government’s aim in developing rice varieties such as Rc 160 is to ensure food security and enhance farmers’ livelihoods through programs targeting higher yields.

Breeders, meanwhile, aim to continuously develop new varieties to address emerging threats such as pests, diseases, and climate stress.

The primary objective of seed growers is to meet farmers’ demand, who, in turn, plant Rc 160 to generate higher income.

On the other hand, rice millers and traders are intent on maximizing their incomes by leveraging the quality of the varieties to build a brand that consumers would patronize.

The PhilRice-CLSU study said these different goals run counter to one another, highlighting “the inefficiencies ailing the system that limit the success of innovations like Rc 160.”

The study flagged multiple conflicts across the value chain, including millers’ perception of being excluded from government plans, breeders’ push for new varieties at the expense of supply stability, and policy shifts that disrupt branding and marketing efforts.

It also cited practices that undermine grain quality, such as delayed harvesting for short-term gains, controlled releases to influence prices, insufficient matching of varietal preferences, and shortages of certified seeds that force reliance on unreliable sources.

“Harmonizing these conflicting roles would instead highly benefit the innovation system of Rc 160 and similar technologies,” the study read.

“If the interests of these actors could be blended in such a way that they will all be contributing together to the growth of the system, then it is going to be a win-win setup,” it added.

Without better coordination in the rice value chain, the study warned that the wider uptake of Rc 160 could be in peril, especially in the face of growing competition from imported rice.

“It is further proposed that actors’ conflicting roles and goals must be harmonized to create a favorable outcome, i.e., a supportive innovation system for technologies in the agriculture sector,” the study read.

The PhilRice-CLSU study was published in the December 2025 issue of Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development of Los Baños-based Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA).