New rice varieties expected to boost yields

THE Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) said it is testing new rice varieties nationwide with a view towards increasing farm yields by 2027.

In a statement, PhilRice said it established 173 of the targeted 180 variety field trial (VFT) sites during the 2025 wet season, across 78 provinces. It said 69 sites have already been harvested despite weather- and pest-related setbacks.

Supported by the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund’s Seed Program, the trials are evaluating 15 inbred rice varieties, including entries from the NSIC Rc 600–700 series, alongside farmer-preferred varieties currently in use.

Unlike hybrid rice, inbred varieties produce succeeding generations with stable genetic traits, allowing farmers to retain seed for replanting in the next season.

According to PhilRice, one of the new varieties matches the taste and performance of the popular high-yielding rice variety NSIC Rc 222 (Tubigan 18) developed by the International Rice Research Institute.

PhilRice said the trials will allow farmers, local governments and seed growers to directly observe and compare the performance of the varieties under local soil and climatic conditions.

“Farmers now have the opportunity to choose rice varieties that perform well in their own fields … Through the VFT, they can select varieties based on yield, field performance, and grain characteristics they observe firsthand,” Justine P. Ragos, a VFT representative, was quoted as saying in the statement.

PhilRice said varieties selected through the process will be multiplied by seed growers beginning the 2027 dry season and distributed ahead of the wet season. — Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel