Philippines Approves Commercial Propagation of High Iron and Zinc Rice

The Philippine Bureau of Plant Industry has issued a biosafety permit for the commercial propagation of HIZ039 rice, which is owned and licensed by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).

According to the public information sheet on the PhilRice website, HIZ039 rice was developed through genetic engineering to boost iron and zinc levels in the grain. This was achieved using genes from rice and a species of Asian wild apple known as Malus baccata.

The permit indicates that HIZ039 rice successfully passed the rigorous biosafety assessments required for commercial propagation, as outlined in the Joint Department Circular (JDC) No. 1, Series of 2021.

HIZ039 rice was designed to complement existing efforts to control iron and zinc deficiencies. It is projected to provide 30–50% of the average daily requirement for these minerals in preschool-age children and pregnant or lactating mothers. This healthier rice alternative is expected to help reduce the incidence of preventable childhood anemia, poor brain development, stunting, and compromised immunity.

After securing this approval, the developers will proceed with varietal registration, seed multiplication, and certification before HIZ039 becomes available in the Philippine market.

Read the biosafety permit on the BPI website and the PIS from PhilRice.