Identifying the top ten best performing hybrid rice varieties in the province of Ilocos Norte, the Department of Agriculture in Ilocos through its Extension Support Group under the Rice Banner Program has successfully concluded the series of Provincial Rice Technology Forum in Brgy. Libtong, Bacarra, Ilocos Norte on March 7, 2024.

Identified as the top performing variety from the 31 rice seed varieties showcased by 11 private seed companies is the NSIC Rc456H from Longping Tropical Rice Development, Inc. registering an average yield of 6.2 metric tons per hectare as a result of the combined planting yield in the Hybrid Rice Challenge for wet season in 2023 conducted at Brgy. Baresbes in Dingras and Brgy. Libtong in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte.

At second place is NSIC Rc234H of Syngenta Philippines which registered an average yield of 6.1 metric tons followed by PHB87 of Corteva Agriscience with an average yield of 6.09 metric tons per hectare.

Having identified the best performing varieties in terms of yield, Mr. Rodolfo Estrada, Jr., Regional Techno-demo Coordinator in the region in his briefing about the activity, noted the importance of identifying these top yielding varieties as it provides the farmers necessary information on what varieties they would prefer for planting while providing the DA on what varieties to procure for distribution in the next planting season.

Other than identifying the best performing varieties, the techno forum also provided an avenue for the DA thru Mr. Ronneil Alminar, Rice Program Technical Staff to inform various rice-related programs and projects which include among others the provision of farm machineries and equipment, rice farmers’ financial assistance program, fertilizer subsidy and other capability programs and projects that shall benefit rice farmers in the region.

To provide additional technical know-how on rice production, Mr. Danilo Arado, the Provincial Rice Coordinator of Ilocos Norte discussed some of the rice production technologies and approaches that the farmers would use to give them higher yield and consequently higher income.

The Rice Technology Forum was attended by around 200 farmers and other stakeholders in the rice industry including the DA officials like Mr. Medardo Pablo who represented Regional Executive Director Annie Bares, Mr. Edwin Cariño, Technical Adviser Ilocos Norte First District Representative Alexander Sandro Marcos and Bacarra’s Sangguniang Bayan Member Committee Chair on Agriculture, Hon. Jonathan Acio.