RICE is called the ‘golden grain of Pakistan’ because it is the country’s second-most important staple food and the third leading crop in terms of cultivated area. It is also the third-largest cash crop after wheat and cotton.

Pakistan is also known as fifth, 10th and 14th largest rice exporter, biggest area cultivator and leading producer of the rice in world, respectively.

Hybrid cultivators have, over several years, enhanced the yields of other more freely crossed varieties like maize, for instance. However, it is hybrid that rice plays a foremost role in introducing superior yield frontier and thus reduces sustainable food insecurity. Moreover, hybrid rice endows farmers to attain substantial yield improvements through open pollinated or inbred lines.

The idea is that if we cross male and female plants which are genetically distant from each other, the progeny will be superior with high performance, primarily in terms of yield; this is what is known in agriculture as hybrid vigour or heterosis.

Hybrid rice seed was introduced in Pakistan in 2003 and at that time the farmers were reluctant to accept this change because due to lack of awareness regarding advanced agricultural technologies.

At present, hybrid rice is planted on an area of approximately 5,20,000 acres that is just about one-fifth of the total area under rice cultivation. Furthermore, hybrid rice exhibited significant escalation in its cultivation since last few years and the motive behind its reputation among the farmers is its extraordinary yield potential in comparison with the traditional low yielding varieties.

In fact, a farmer achieves around 80-100 maunds per acre yield after sowing hybrid rice. It was also reported that farmers have attained yield as high as 110 to 120 maunds per acre in some areas of the country.

The business of the private sector companies reveals a remarkable contribution in agriculture of our country in terms of hybrid rice or other GM (genetically modified) seeds. These companies also promise to increase the production manifold. Currently, almost 800 registered seed companies are operational, together with four public sectors and five multinational companies.

Guard rice is the first private sector rice research seed company which was given authorisation by the government and of the initial six hybrid rice varieties approved for commercial cultivation, four had originated from Guard rice. Some other private agricultural companies such as Pioneer (PHB-71, rice hybrid variety), Auriga Group of Companies (Almas, rice hybrid variety) and Bayer Crop Science (Arize 403 & Arize H-64, rice hybrid varieties) have also developed their own rice hybrids.

Private seed companies import hybrids from China and there are wide variances in soil and climatic conditions of the both countries. Therefore, it is not certain whether a hybrid that is performing best in terms of yield in China will provide the same potential locally. Such hybrid varieties should be tested on the research farms of provincial agricultural departments to check whether the imported seed is suitable for our soil and climatic circumstances, and ensure that farmers only use certified seed varieties.

Private sector has taken the initiative to develop new technologies and advance brands of seed, while government institutes are lagging behind. Notably, in Pakistan the average national yield of rice is still 24 maunds per acre, which is one of the lowest in the world; therefore government should extend its support to private companies which are interested in conducting research in hybrid rice development.

Production of hybrid rice has also helped enhance Pakistan’s rice exports in recent years, but still we lack the real objective and rice research needs a boost through key participation by the government, so that rice exports and farmers’ income is improved.