FARMERS who were supplied improved rice seed financed by the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) reported higher yields of palay, or unmilled rice, the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) said.
In a statement, PhilRice said that the average yield of RCEF seed recipients increased to 4,320 kilogram per hectare from 3,630 during the dry season, while for the wet season yields rose to 4,020 kilos per hectare from 3,690.
“The distribution covers seven seasons of implementation from the 2020 dry season to the recently concluded 2023 dry season,” according to PhilRice.
PhilRice compiled the harvest results from 42 low and medium-yielding provinces.
RCEF is a component of the Rice Tariffication Law (Republic Act 11203), which effectively privatized the rice import process, formerly a government monopoly. It made importers pay a 35% tariff on shipments of Southeast Asian grain. The tariffs generated finance an RCEF allocation of P10 billion a year for six years.
From these funds, RCEF distributes machinery, seed, fertilizer, and rice-growing know-how, among others, to modernize the rice industry.
As of March 15, about 11.95 million bags of certified seed were distributed to rice farmers.
“Majority of the one million farmer-beneficiaries received certified seed multiple times across seasons. We estimate that at least 1.5 million hectares are being planted annually,” Flordeliza H. Bordey, head of the RCEF Program Management Office at PhilRice said.
Ms. Bordey added that the majority of distributed and delivered seeds were to local government unit partners.
“We have distributed most of the seed with some (set aside) as reserve stock for distribution to early planters in the next cropping season,” she said.
PhilRice said that less than 1% of delivered RCEF seed was reported as damaged. — Adrian H. Halili