High-Zinc Rice Achieves High Yield in Ilocos Norte Pilot in the Philippines
July 15, 2026| |
The Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) has announced a successful pilot harvest of Zinc Rice 2 (NSIC Rc 648) in Ilocos Norte. The high-zinc rice variety achieved impressive yields during local field trials, demonstrating its ability to match or exceed the performance of conventional inbred rice varieties.
The field performance demonstrated Zinc Rice 2's high productivity under the unique climatic conditions of Ilocos Norte. Local agricultural experts and farmer-cooperators noted that the crop required standard farming inputs, meaning small-scale farmers would not face increased production costs to cultivate it. Farmer Ricky A. de Guzman from Brgy. Sta. Cecilia, San Nicolas, harvested 8.14 t/ha from Zinc Rice 2 (NSIC Rc 648), which was higher than the 4.07 t/ha national average palay (rice) yield across all ecosystems in this year's first quarter. It also exceeded the variety's reported yield potential of 4–7.4 t/ha under favorable growing conditions. The successful harvest is expected to boost local interest and accelerate the variety's widespread adoption across adjacent farming communities.
Developed to combat widespread public health issues, Zinc Rice 2 was developed by PhilRice to help the country identify alternatives to complement efforts to address child stunting and micronutrient deficiencies.
For more details, read the article on the PhilRice website.
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