Three other Asian countries to adopt hybrid rice technology

12 Pages·2011·13.59 MB·English

VOL. 4 NO. 4 PUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY BY SL AGRITECH CORP. NOV-DEC 2011
We greet you all Nueva Ecija farmer Jasponica Rice, We could be rice
a merry, merry turns in impressive anyone? self-sufficient
Christmas and a
rice yields
prosperous New Year!
Page 2 Page 5 Page 9
CAMBODIA, MYANMAR AND BRUNEI
Vietnam gets
Three other Asian countries to
2nd shipment
of hybrid rice
adopt hybrid rice technology
SL Agritech is scheduled
Encouraged by the benefits Agritech’s hybrid rice technology
By SANNY GALVEZ to ship sometime next month
of hybrid rice technology, three of to boost their food sufficiency
300 metric tons (MT) of its
the world’s biggest rice consuming (formerly Burma) and Brunei programs.
high-yielding SL-8H super
countries -- Cambodia, Myanmar Darussalam, are also adopting SL Henry Lim, chairman and
hybrid rice seeds to Viet-
chief executive officer (CEO) of
nam, one of the five Asian
SL Agritech Corp. said his firm
countries adopting the firm’s
is set to export sometime next
hybrid rice technology.
month an initial 200 metric tons
The firm’s succeeding
(MT) of its high-yielding SL-8H
shipment will be 600 MT
hybrid rice seeds to Cambodia
in 2012, 1,000 MT in 2013,
as part of an agreement it signed
1,500 MT in 2014 and 2,500
with officials of the Cambodian
in 2015. By the end of 2015,
government.
Vietnam’s target area that
Four Asian countries are al-
(Turn to page 8)
(Turn to page 6)
HENRY LIM (left, seated) chairman and CEO of SL Agritech Corp., shakes
hands with Myanmar Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation U Myint Hlaing
during the latter’s visit recently at the offices of SL Agritech’s research and
demonstration (R&D) hybrid rice farm in Barangay Oogong in Laguna. Those
in photo are (from left, standing): Dr. Tin Htut, in charge of the national hybrid
seed production in Myanmar; Kyaw Win, managing director of Myanmar Ag-
ricultural Services; Dr. Weijun Zu, SL Agritech vice president for international
operation; Prof. Zhang Zhaodong, vice president for research and development;
and former Food Minister Jesus Tanchanco.
Lim attends rice industry
conference in Cambodia
THIS photo was taken at the convention center where the recently-concluded rice
industry conference in Cambodia was held. Among the foreign guests invited to the
With the presence of no less than His Excellency, Deputy Prime
affair were Henry Lim (2nd from right) and Prof. Zhang Zhaodong (right), vice presi-
Minister Yim Chhay Ly, representing Prime Minister Samdech dent for research and development of SL Agritech Corp. with Cambodian partners.
Decho Hun Sen who is also the chairman of the country’s Council
Chinese rice scientist Zhang Zhaodong, SL Agritech vice president
for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD), the Cambodian
for research and development.
Rice Industry Conference came to a close last October 18, with other
Topics discussed during the whole-day conference included
high government officials and representatives from various indus-
an Update of Cambodia’s Comprehensive Rice Policy Progress;
tries including rice millers, traders and exporters; manufacturers and
Optimizing the Value of the Rice Industry for Cambodia; Why Buy
distributors of agricultural products and equipment, in attendance.
Cambodia Rice, and Rice Millers of Cambodia.
Among the foreign guests invited to the affair were Henry Lim,
Given the country’s recent success in achieving surplus rice pro-
chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of SL Agritech Corp. and
(Turn to page 7)
2 GINTONG BUTIL NOV-DEC 2011
na ang ibig kong sabihin. May kumikita nga ba sa pag-iimport natin ng
SANNY GALVEZ
bigas sa ibang bansa? Ah, ewan!
Nabanggit sa akin ni G. Lim ang China, na ayon sa kanya, ay
hybrid rice ang karamihan nitong tinatanim kung kaya’t supisyente
sila sa bigas gayong ang pinakakaing tao ay umaabot sa 1.3 bilyon.
At nakakapag-export pa nga sa ibang bansa!
Huling bilin ng Ina ni G. Lim
“Tinatag namin ang SL Agritech para tulungan ang ating mga
Biro ng isang kaibigan magsasaka na lumaki ang kanilang inaaning palay at kanilang kinikita.
Ito ang huling bilin ng aming ina nang siya ay nabubuhay pa. She ap-
peared in my dream encouraging me to pursue the hybrid rice technology
Apat na ang bansa sa Asia-- Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia,
project,” sabi ni G. Lim.
Bangladesh at kasama na rin ang Nigeria sa Africa ang nag-aangkat
Yun na nga raw ang dahilan ng pagkakatatag noong 1998 ng SL
ng hybrid rice seeds mula sa SL Agritech Corp. Gagaya na rin sa
Agritech Corp., isang dibisyon ng Sterling Paper Group of Compa-
kanila ang Cambodia, Myanmar (dating Burma) at Brunei. Nani-
nies, a family-owned corporation engaged in paper manufacturing,
niwala ako na may malaking dahilan sila kung bakit nga ba sila
school and office supplies, furniture, retailing, call center and real
pare-parehong nakumbinsi na magtanim ng uri ng palay na ito.
estate development.
Sa nakikita kong dahilan – kumbinsido talaga sila na mas malaki
Kung iisipin, sa lawak at laki ng negosyo ng kanyang pamilya,
ang kanilang aanihing palay kung ito ngang hybrid rice na punlang
pwede ng hindi siya nagpupunta pa sa malalayong probinsya – Nueva
ito ang kanilang itatanim sa kani-kanilang bukirin.
Ecija, Tarlac, Pangasinan, sa Mindoro, Davao. Camarines, Mindanao
Biro nga ng kaibigan kong si Eli Cinco, columnist ng Manila
at sa iba pang malalayong lugar sa bansa -- at lumulusong sa mga pu-
Bulletin at dati kong kasamahan sa nasabing pahayagan – “Pilipinas
tikang bukid para bisitahin ang mga pananim na hybrid palay ng mga
o ang bayan na nga lang natin ang hindi pa ‘nag-iimport’ ng hybrid
magsasaka at tinitiis ang init ng araw gayong pwede na lang na doon
rice seeds sa SL Agritech.”
siya mamalagi sa kaniyang maganda at air-conditioned office sa Makati
Pati na ang Vietnam, kung saan dito tayo laging nag-aangkat
City na hindi pa mapuputikan ang kanyang mga paa o madadarang sa
ng bigas na milyon-milyong dolyar ang ating ginagasta, bumibili
araw at mapapawisan ang kanyang katawan.
na rin ngayon sa SL Agritech ng hybrid rice seeds para ito na ang
Sa pasimula ng SL Agritech, nagpunta si G. Lim sa China kung
itanim nila sa kanilang mga bukirin. Ito ay sa dahilang gusto nilang
saan, nakipagkita siya kay Prof. Yuan Longping, ang tinaguriang
lalu pang lumaki ang kanilang produksyon sa bigas sa pagtatanim
“Father of Hybrid Rice” sa China.
nga ng hybrid rice seeds.
Pinakitaan siya ng magandang loob ni Prof. Longping dahilan na
Hindi basta-basta makukumbinsi rin sa sinabi niya ritong ang tanging layunin niya ay para matulungan
ang mga Pilipinong magsasaka na mabigyan sila ng magandang buhay.
Ang paliwanag sa akin ni G. Henry Lim, ang chairman at chief
Hindi nag-atubili si Prof. Longping at binigay sa kanya ang “sekreto” o
executive officer (CEO) ng SL Agritech, “hindi mo sila (ang pitong ban-
teknolohiya ng hybrid rice at sa kanyang pagbabalik sa Pilipinas, kasama
sang ito) basta makukumbinsi sa salita lamang na malaki ang kanilang
ang dalawang Chinese rice scientists na “pinahiram” sa kanya ni Prof.
aanihing palay kung ang aming teknolohiya ang kanilang gagamitin..
Longping upang tulungan siyang maisakatuparan ang kanyang itatayong
Ang tutuo, pumupunta pa dito sa aming tanggapan sa Makati ang kani-
bagong tanggapan, ito ngang SL Agritech na ngayon ay maituturing na
kanilang mga representante at experto at dito pa lamang, sinusuri na
pinakamalaking producer ng hybrid rice seeds sa buong bansa.
nilang mabuti at gayundin sa kani-kanilang demonstration farm kung
At dito na nag-umpisang magparit-parito si G. Lim sa mga
gaano ang kaibahan ng aming hybrid seeds kumpara sa uri ng palay na
probinsya upang kumbinsihin ang mga magsasaka sa makabagong
kanilang tinatanim sa kasalukuyan..
teknolohiya sa pagtatanim ng palay. Dito na rin siya nag-umpisang
Katakataka ba na sa darating na araw, baka tayo na ang mag-
lumakad sa mga putikang bukid at maki halubilo sa mga magsasaka.
iimport o aangkat ng bigas sa Bangladesh, Indonesia, Myanmar,
Burma, Nigeria, Cambodia and Africa?
Pagmamahal sa mga magsasaka
Katakataka nga ba? Posibleng mangyari ito hangga’t…alam n’yo
Sabi nga ng isang opisyal sa kanyang tanggapan, “Panata na ni Mr.
Lim ang pagsunod sa bilin ng kanilang yumaong Ina kaya niya tinitiis ang
lahat ng mga ‘yan. Natanim na rin sa kanyang puso ang pagmamahal sa
mga magsasaka, na ayon sa kanya, ay hindi pa lubos na nakakatanggap
ng tulong mula sa pamahalaan.”
Sa isang pagkakataon, muli kaming nagkausap ni G. Lim at
SANNY GALVEZ JOSEPHINE E. DUNGCA ito ay tungkol sa pagbebenta ng SL Agritech ng hybrid rice seeds
Editor Managing Editor sa Bangladesh, Malaysia, Burma, Indonesia, Myanmar, India,
Contributing Writers: Cambodia at Nigeria.
Narito ang kanyang mga kasagutan sa aking mga tanong – on seed
Rudy A. Fernandez Anselmo Roque
exportation to these countries –“Lilimitan namin ito para naman mayroon
Conrad Cariño Jennifer Ng
tayong laging handang supply sa ating mga magsasaka.”
Carmina Cruz Carlo Caluag “Mali naman yata kung uunahin pa nating makinabang ang
Jivin Relato Photographers mga magsasaka sa ibang bansa kesa sa ating magsasaka sa pag-
Graphic Artists tatanim ng hybrid rice, kaya kami gumagawa ng ganitong hakbang.
Ang aming tanging layunin ay matulungan ang ating mga mag-
Gintong Butil is published bi-monthly by SL Agritech Corp.,
a division of Sterling Group of Companies, with editorial and sasaka na lumago ang kanilang aanihing palay at lumaki rin ang
STAFF business offices at 2302 Sterling Place, Pasong Tamo Ext., kanilang kikitain sa pagsasaka,” sabi ni Lim.
Makati City. Telefax No. 810-1604
3
NOV-DEC 2011 GINTONG BUTIL
For the past many years, will be making 316 cavans per while Badong is
Eduardo Policarpio had been an hectare using the SL-8H hybrid from San Nicolas,
inbred rice farmer in his family seeds. Ngayon lang ito nangyari Camarines Sur.
hometown in Barangay Palagay since I started farming at an Henry Lim,
in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, un- early age with my father. I am chairman and CEO
til he switched sometime in 2003 really overwhelmed and happy,” of SL Agritech
to hybrid rice farming. he said in an interview. Corp., the coun-
“My first try planting hybrid Forty-eight, married to try’s top producer
seeds was not what I expected – Rosela Sogo-an, with three of the SL-8H hy-
the blight (palay bacteria) that children, all college scholars, brid seeds, said
NUEVA ECIJA
FARMER
TURNS IN
POLICARPIO
IMPRESSIVE
RICE YIELDS
infested my 2.5-hectare rice Mang Eddie was also the re- “it will take perhaps a year or 2009 easily won for him the
farm. But that did not dampen cipient early this year of the more for someone who can grand prize in the Search for
my enthusiasm to pursue my ”Natatanging Magsasaka ng break or duplicate Payumo’s Hybrid Rice Highest Yielder
interest to plant the same SL- Dekada” Award presented to impressive record in hybrid rice initiated the same year by the
8H hybrid variety dahil naka- him by Cabanatuan City Mayor production. Office of the Provincial Agricul-
harvest pa rin ako ng 120 cavans Julius Vergara; the 2007, 2008 “Marami na ring magsa- turist (OPA) of Nueva Ecija and
per hectare, compared to what I and 2009 Butil Award as Out-
used to produce sa inbred -- only standing Hybrid Rice Farmer;
'Marami na ring magsasaka ang
70 to 80 cavans per hectare,” 2005 and 2006 “Magsasaka
umaani ng mahigit 250 hanggang 270
said Mang Eddie who is a Siyentista;” and several other
holder of a Bachelor of Science awards and commendations cavans per hectare pero kailangan
degree in Agriculture at the given by civic and government pa rin nilang matutuhan ang tama at
Central Luzon State University organizations.
wastong teknolohiya sa pagtatanim ng
(CLSU). He is at present the chair-
hybrid rice para lalu pang lumaki ang
Instead of directly answer- man of the Makabagong Magsa-
ing my question how many saka ng Palagay Primary Multi- kanilang ani at kita.'
cavans he made last year’s dry Purpose Cooperative which has
season harvest that won him 64 members.
saka ang umaani ng mahigit SL Agritech Corp., in coope-
the coveted 2010 “Gawad Saka Policarpio’s hybrid rice har-
250 hanggang 270 cavans per ration with the Philippine Rice
Provincial Award” given by the vest per hectare of 316 cavans
hectare pero kailangan pa rin Research Institute (PhilRice),
Department of Agriculture (DA) however, is 29.6 cavans short
nilang matutuhan ang tama at National Food Authority (NFA),
and the provincial government of farmer Severino Payumo’s
wastong teknolohiya sa pag- Central Luzon State Univer-
of Nueva Ecija, Mang Eddie 2009’s harvest record of 345.6
tatanim ng hybrid rice para lalu sity (CLSU), National Irrigation
raised his hands and said with and 28 cavans less of Aida Ba-
pang lumaki ang kanilang ani at Administration (NIA), and the
a big smile: “Tinugon ng Dios dong’s 344 cavans per hectare.
kita,” he said. Department of Agriculture-Re-
ang aming panalangin.” Payumo and Policarpio are from
Payumo’s recorded harvest gional Field Units (DA-RFU).
“I didn’t expect really that I Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija,
of 345.6 cavans per hectare in --SANNY GALVEZ

5
NOV-DEC 2011 GINTONG BUTIL
DOÑA MARIA
‘ J A S P O N I C A ’
RICE,
ANYONE?
'Kapag naluto na, kahit sardinas o kamatis
na may kaunting bagoong lang ang ulam
mo, talagang gaganahan kang kumain lalu na
kung mainit-init pa nga ang sinaing.'
the grains achieve a soft, sticky The others who have com-
and chewy texture enhanced fur- mended the exceptional eating
ther by their aroma,” Lim said. quality of Doña Maria Jasponica
“I am very proud of the fact and Doña Maria Miponica, were
wives who have developed some
sort of addiction to the Jasponica
The Doña Maria Jasponica rice, SL Agritech Corp. has made
premium rice is fast becoming it available also in vacuum-
a very popular local brand not sealed packs of 300 grams in
only because of its fragrant and the market.
delightful aroma but its excep- Doña Maria Jasponica is
tional eating quality as well. patronized by big hotels and
“It’s comparable to imported restaurants in Metro Manila.
quality rice which is more expen- “Most Koreans, Japanese and
sive. I have tasted Doña Jaspon- Taiwanese restaurants operating
ica once and since then, I never in the country serve Jasponica
tried to buy other kind of rice in rice not only because it has bet-
the market,” said Dr. Santiago ter quality but it is much cheaper
Obien, former executive director than imported Thai jasmine rice
of the Philippine Rice Research and Japanese rice,” said Henry
Institute (PhilRice). Lim, chairman and CEO of SL
“Kapag naluto na, kahit sar- Agritech.
dinas o kamatis na may kaunting Another premium rice that
bagoong lang ang ulam mo, ta- has a growing following from
lagang gaganahan kang kumain local consumers is the Doña
...now becoming very popular among housewives.
lalu na kung mainit-init pa nga Maria Miponica. Aside from
ang sinaing,” he said. its exceptional eating quality, it that the Doña Maria rice brand former Food Minister and Na-
Sold in vacuum-sealed packs is also blessed with the unique is now becoming very popular tional Food Authority Admi-
of two, five, 10 and 25 kilos in texture of Milagrosa rice. among housewives. It is also nistrator Jesus Tanchanco, Dr.
leading groceries and super- The two rice variants, pro- being patronized by big hotels Frisco Malabanan, former direct-
markets, Doña Maria Jasponica duced by SL Agritech Corp. and and restaurants,” Lim said, add- or of the Ginintuang Masagana
is much cheaper than imported named in honor of the mother ing that Doña Maria hybrid Ani (GMA) hybrid rice program
Thailand and Japanese rice. of Henry Lim, combine the grains are timely harvested, of the Department of Agriculture
To be more affordable to fragrant aroma of Jasmine rice thus the maturity and fullness and former Ifugao Congressman
people and also because of the and the excellent eating quality of the grains are export-quality Gualberto Lumauig who, like
clamor of more and more house- of Japanese rice. “When cooked, guaranteed. Malabanan, is also a rice farmer.
6 GINTONG BUTIL
Cambodia, Myanmar
and Brunei
to adopt
SL Agritech's
hybrid rice
MYANMAR Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation U Myint Hlaing (2nd from right, seated)
as he is being briefed by rice scientist Dr. Weijun Xu, SL Agritech vice president for inter-
national operation, during the visit recently of the minister at the SL Agritech’s hybrid rice
seeds demonstration farm in Barangay Masapang in Laguna. Also in photo are Henry Lim
(3rd from left, standing), Prof. Zhang Zhaodong (far right), vice president for research; and
John Ba Maw (left) who was with Minister U’s party. technology
(From page 1) technology to increase its cereal
ready utilizing SL Agritech’s hy- production. Its goal is to develop
Asian country which is interested farm in Barangay Masapang, also
brid rice technology. They are its agriculture sector to create more
to utilize his firm’s hybrid seed in Laguna, where Dr. Weijun Xu,
Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia jobs and provide food security to
technology. a Chinese rice scientist who is
and Vietnam where the Philip- its populace.
“Union Minister of Agricul- vice president of SL Agritech for
pines has been importing billions Just recently, Lim was in
ture and Irrigation, U Myint Hla- international operation, explained
of pesos worth of rice since 1987. Brunei Darussalam with Dr. Noel
ing, was in town over the weekend to him “the efficient techniques
Nigeria, which is considered Mamicpic and Dr. Frisco Mala-
to discuss his plan to import hybrid of planting and harvesting hybrid
the most populated country in Af- banan, vice president for quality
rice seeds from us particularly rice. Dr. Weijun was formerly with
rica with over 140 million people, control and technical consultant,
our high-yielding SL-8H seeds the International Rice Research
is also using SL Agritech’s hybrid respectively, of SL Agritech, on
variety,” he said. Institute (IRRI).
rice method or system. the invitation of Mashhor General
The meeting with Minister Also present during the Myan-
“In the first quarter of 2012, Contractor Sdn. Bhd. to discuss a
U was held at the offices of SL mar agriculture minister’s visit
we will initially export 50 metric possible joint venture agreement
Agritech’s 43-hectare hybrid rice were SL Agritech officials, among
tons of our SL-8H hybrid seeds (JVA) on hybrid rice production
research and demo (R&D) farm them Dr. Mamicpic, Prof. Zhang
to Nigeria. Siyempre, nag-karoon project in Brunei. They were met
in Barangay Oogong in Sta. Cruz, Zhaodong, vice president for
muna sila ng extensive field trials by Permanent Secretary Hajah
Laguna, where the Myanmar of- research and development; Dr.
ng binhing ito bago sila nag- Normah S.H. Jamil and Deputy
ficial was briefed on the firm’s Malabanan, Brian Lim, head of
decide na mag-import,” Lim said. Permanent Secretary Hajah Has-
nationwide operation. the firm’s rice division and former
Last year, Nigeria signed a nah, Ministry of Industry and
Minister U also visited SL Food Minister Jesus Tanchanco.
memorandum of agreement with Primary Resources.
Agritech’s 15.6-hectare demo John Ba Maw, in-charge of the
SL Agritech to adopt its hybrid rice Lim said Myanmar is another
Seed Department of the Interna-
tional Sun Moon Star Agriculture
Co., Ltd. in Myanmar, who was
with Minister U’s party, said in an
interview that he himself “is con-
vinced that using the hybrid seed
technology will accelerate growth
in our rice production.”
“I strongly believe that hybrid
rice production is our stepping
stone towards the improvement
of our agricultural economy,” he
said.
While in Brunei, Lim’s group
MINISTER U (6th from left) poses for a souvenir photo with Henry Lim (5th from left) and officials of SL Agritech,
also met with the staff of Mashhor
among them: Brian Lim, head, rice division; Dr. Noel Mamicpic, vice president for quality control; Dr. Weijun Xu, vice
president for international operation; Prof. Zhang Zhaodong, vice president for research and development; former Food group headed Wan Krisnadi Bte
Minister Jesus Tanchanco and Dr. Frisco Malabanan, technical consultant. Haji Osman, general manager
7
PHOTO taken during a recent visit of Myanmar Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation U Myint Hlaing (3rd from left)
and the members of his party, at SL Agritech’s 15.6-hectare hybrid rice demonstration farm in Barangay Masapang
in Laguna. They are shown with officials of SL Agritech led by Henry Lim (2nd from left).
MYANMAR Agriculture Minister U Myint Hlaing
of Hal-Foods SDN-BHD, Engr. will hire a qualified staff from the
(right), presents to Henry Lim a souvenir painting
gap between production and
Ferdinand de Chavez, Wan Shahin Philippines to provide the techni- of a rice paddy in Myanmar.
demand has been widening,
Hairuddin Bin Hj Ariffin, Dr. Hj cal assistance to Brunei during the
so much so that Brunei has to rely on it consumes are being imported from
Hatta B Hj Abidin, Mohd Saifur production cycle.” Lim explained.
imports, with over 95 percent of rice other countries.
Rahman and Hj Osman Bin Haji He said however, that Mashhor (Turn to page 8)
Omar. will have to pay for the plane fare,
Lim said Mashhor will visit salary and accommodation of the
the Philippines sometime this No- technical staff from SL Agritech.
vember to finalize the joint venture Lim said the expansion of the
agreement and to sign a memoran- hybrid rice production areas will
dum of understanding (MOU). be done after the initial field trials
“SL Agritech and Mashhor in Brunei, as well as in Sulawesi,
initially agreed to establish a five- Indonesia for Brunei Darussalam to
hectare hybrid rice technology achieve 60 percent self-sufficiency
demonstration farm using our in rice production by 2015.
SL-8H, SL-7H and SL-9H hybrid Because of Brunei’s increasing
rice varieties. The seeds will be population, limited suitable land for
provided by us free of charge and rice growing, among others, the
Lim attends rice industry
conference in Cambodia
(From page 1)
duction, the Cambodian government intends to expand its product-
MYANMAR Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation U Myint Hlaing is shown sec-
ion and export capacity to become a major rice exporting nation.
ond from left during a courtesy call at the office of Agriculture Secretary Proceso
Public statements by government ministers last year indicate Alcala (left) in Quezon City. Minister U and Myanmar Ambassador to the Philip-
that Cambodia wants to double its rice production by 2015 to ap- pines Amb. Win and his interpreter were accompanied by Henry Lim, chairman
and CEO of SL Agritech Corp.
proximately 15.0 million metric tons.
MR. LIM poses for a souvenir photo while attending the Rice Industry
HENRY LIM (left photo) poses with M. Gen. Suos Yara, Under Secretary of Conference in Cambodia.
Cambodia’s State Development Cooperation, Defense and Security; and Ang
Mongkol (right photo), deputy general director of the Ministry of Interior, Gen-
eral Department of of Local Administration, after attending the Rice Industry
Conference in Cambodia recently.
8 GINTONG BUTIL NOV-DEC 2011
Vietnam gets
2nd shipment
of hybrid rice
(From page 1)
will be planted to hybrid
rice seeds would be 14,000
hectares.
“It is somewhat ironic
that for the past many years,
we have been importing bil-
lions of pesos worth of rice
from Vietnam, pero heto,
bumibili sila sa atin ng hybrid
rice seed for planting in their
farmlands. Naniniwala kasi
AN AIDE of Minister U (right), reads a copy of the past grains businessmen. Copies also filter into various govern-
issue of Gintong Butil (GB), a bi-monthly publication of ment offices and business firms, particularly those engaged sila na mas lalu pang lalaki
SL Agritech Corp. which has been in circulation since in agriculture. Also in photo is former Food Minister Jesus ang kanilang aanihin sa pag-
2006. GB copies are distributed free to rice farmers and Tanchanco.
tatanim ng hybrid rice,” Lim
said.
The transaction was pur-
suant to the agreement entered
into by SL Agritech and Dai
Thanh Agritech Seed Co. of
Vietnam in 2010.The accord
calls for SL Agritech to ini-
tially ship 60 MT tons of its
SL-8H super hybrid rice seeds
to that country.
Vietnam is one of the
world’s riches agricultural
regions. It is the sixth Asian
country to adopt SL Agri-
tech’s hybrid rice technology.
HENRY LIM (2nd from left) chairman and CEO of SL members of the staff of Mashhor General Contractor Sdn.
Agritech Corporation and Dr. Frisco Malabanan (2nd from Bhd. to discuss hybrid rice production project in Brunei. Cambodia,
right), SL Agritech's technical consultant, at a meeting with
Myanmar...
(From page 7)
A research firm has cited the
performance of SL Agritech's
SL-8H hybrid rice seeds variety
in terms of grains yield and other
physiological characteristics. It
says the variety "was better than
other geno-types and yielded
more grain in direct seeding con-
dition compared to transplanted
ones."
SL Agritech Corp. has also
earned international recognition
from the China National Hybrid
After their meeting with Mashhor General Contractor of Industry and Primary (MIPR); Hayah Hasnah, deputy Rice Reseach and Development
Sdn. Bhd. From left to right: Dr. Noel Mamicpic, vice- permanent secretary (MIPR); Wan Krisnadi Bte Haji Os-
Center for its successful deve-
president for quality control of SL Agritech; Ferdinand man, general manager of HAL–Foods SDN BHD Mashhor;
de Chavez, Mashhor engineering division manager; Wan Dr. Frisco Malabanan, technical consultant of SL Agritech; lopment and commercialization
Shahin Hairuddin Bin Hjariffin, Mashhor business de- and Dr. Hil Hotta B Hel. Zainal Abidin, head of the Local of the SL series of hybrid rice
velopment manager; Henry Lim (4th from left); Hajah Business Development Coordination, Business Development
seed varieties in the Philippines.
Normah S.H, Jamil, permanent secretary of the Ministry Division, Mashhor.
NOV-DEC 2011 GINTONG BUTIL 9
We could be rice
self-sufficient
By BOO CHANCO
Once upon a time, many Thai his rice vari-
agriculturists learned their stuff ety can be plant-
from UP Los Banos, likely ben- ed and harvested
efiting Thailand’s export orient- cheaper there and
ed rice industry. It had always been without the head-
a mystery why we have failed to aches endemic in the
benefit from the scientific knowl- Philippines from our faulty
edge of our scientists in growing land reform program to blood suck- Despite calamities and floods, the rice today in spite of its big population,
rice. We seem doomed to be a rice ing politicians. He will then export Chinese Premier told the FFCCC Henry explains.
importer year after year. his produce to Singapore and other officials, China will still have so Henry met Prof. Yuan in China
Last Thursday, PhilStar Life- neighboring countries where there much rice that they do not have through a common friend. Henry said
style writer Wilson Lee Flores and is a big market for premium rice. enough warehouses to store their he was lucky the professor instantly
I had coffee with a Filipino-Chinese Henry did not graduate from stock. Henry said that at that mo- took a liking to him. The professor
entrepreneur who accidentally got UP Los Banos but from UP Engi- ment he remembers hoping he offered to assist him duplicate his
himself in the rice growing busi- neering where he earned a degree in will live to see the day when our success in growing hybrid rice in
ness. Using inspiration and some
technology from China’s legendary
Prof. Yuan Long Ping, UP alumnus It is just that it is more profitable for our national leaders and
Henry Lim Bon Liong has been bureaucrats to keep us import dependent. And that’s the plain truth.
able to develop a hybrid rice seed
proven to triple harvest.
Stung by the lukewarm recep-
Mechanical Engineering. He claims President will finally be able to say China in the Philippines. Being the
tion from our government bureau-
to have just stumbled into the rice something like that. entrepreneur that he is, Henry imme-
crats through the years, Henry now
business. Over coffee at the UCC Henry explained to us that diately grabbed the opportunity even
exports his hybrid seeds to other
coffee shop in Corinthian Hills, China also had food problems if he didn’t know the first thing about
neighboring Asian countries includ-
Henry related to me and Wilson in the past. Up to the early 80s, growing rice, much less developing a
ing Vietnam, the country we import
how he got involved in agriculture Henry recalled, life was difficult proper hybrid.
a lot of our rice from. That’s like
by chance. He got his inspiration, in China. More than 10 million As soon as he got back home,
selling our intellectual property and
he said, when, as an officer of the people died of hunger every year. Henry met with the experts at the
importing back the produce. That’s
Federation of Filipino-Chinese The Chinese government went International Rice Research Institute
the sad story of our lives because
Chambers of Commerce he had the into a massive farming program. (IRRI) in Los Baños. He said he
our scientists and entrepreneurs get
privilege of having lunch with then But things turned around only was amazed to learn there are over
no respect at home.
Chinese Premier Zhu Rhong Ji at the because of the pioneering work of 190,000 varieties of rice and practi-
That’s not all. Henry is now
Westin Philippine Plaza. Prof. Yuan Long Ping, who came cally every available variety stored
checking out Cambodia where he
Henry remembers Premier Zhu to be known as the world’s fa- in IRRI. It made him wonder even
can get large tracts of land suit-
telling them that even if China did ther of hybrid rice technology. A more why we can’t seem to get one
able for rice farming. Why Cam-
not produce a single grain of rice in Magsaysay Awardee, Prof Yuan variety that will work wonders in
bodia? Because Henry found out
one year, no Chinese will go hungry. is why China is self-sufficient in (Turn to page 11)
SHOWN after attending a hybrid rice
festival sponsored recently by SL Agri-
tech in Lutayan, Sultan Kudarat, from
left: Councilor Noel Antonio, Mayor
Helen Latog (of Esperanza), Mayor
Emilio Salamanca (of Pres. Quirino),
Glen Garcia (Board Member of Sul-
tan Kudarat), Dr. Frisco Malabanan,
Mayor Bai Ruth Sakularan (of Sultan
Kudarat), Tom Gimenez (VP-for Mar-
keting-SL Agritech), Kagawad Ismael
Macasayon, Nestor Casador (Provincial
Agriculturist of Sultan Kudarat) and
Kagawad Ibrahim Macasayon.
10 GINTONG BUTIL NOV-DEC 2011