Malaysia studying PHL hybrid rice seed imports for commercial planting

MALAYSIAN customers are considering placing an order with SL Agritech Corporation (SLAC) for some 20,000 kilos of hybrid rice seed for planting on 1,000 hectares of land.

In an interview with reporters, Dr. Frisco M. Malabanan, a senior SLAC consultant, said Titijaya Land Bhd and the state-run Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute have expressed interest in importing seed from the Philippines.

The seed will be used for commercial planting if hybrid tests yield positive results.

The initial pilot testing will be conducted in the states of Penang and Kedah.

“I’m just waiting for the import permit coming from the Malaysian government because I’m supposed to start the varietal trial this coming wet season,” Mr. Malabanan said, referring to 100 kilos of hybrid rice seed to be used in the pilot testing. Hybrid rice combines the best qualities of its parent varieties. One of its applications is in tropical areas subject to disruptive climate conditions like El Niño.

Previous pilot tests in Sarawak have been successful, the company said, yielding 9 to 10 metric tons per hectare, which is “significantly higher than the national average rice yield… in Malaysia.”

However, the policy of Malaysia’s government limits the commercial application of the Sarawak tests.

Aside from hybrid rice, SLAC said Malaysian firms have expressed interest in importing its Doña Maria premium rice.

Malaysia currently imports around 35% of its rice supply largely from Thailand. —