Manila, The Philippines
September 9, 2010
The Philippines is leading third world countries in developing rice varieties that contain beneficial amount of beta-carotene, as the country will conduct field trials on these varieties come dry season next year.
Atty. Ronilo A. Beronio, executive director of Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), said the country’s progress in pro-beta-carotene rice research will make Philippines the first developing country to grow the said rice varieties.
Using conventional method in breeding, plant breeders had inserted the gene containing beta-carotene in a local popular variety. To be transferred to farmers by 2013, the beta-carotene-laden rice can be grown organically and will be sold in a price comparable with the regular polished rice.
“The first approval of this type of rice will likely be given to our country as plant breeders have successfully crossed the beta-carotene gene with PSB Rc82. PhilRice will test the variety’s adaptability and performance after signing a material transfer agreement,” Beronio said after attending the recent 15th board meeting of the Golden Rice Humanitarian Board held in Singapore.
With the inclusion of the beta-carotene gene to PSB Rc82, Beronio said deficiency in Vitamin A is expected to decrease as a study published in the June 2009 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that a cup of pro-beta-carotene rice could supply half of the vitamin A needed every day. When consumed by the body, beta-carotene produces vitamin A.
In the country, statistics from Food and Nutrition Research Institute revealed that around four of 10 children aged six months to five years old and three of 10 school children suffer from the deficiency. One of five pregnant and lactating Filipino women also lack vitamin A.
Vitamin A deficiency damages the immune system increasing risk to common bacterial and viral infections and rate of mortality especially among children. Meanwhile, weakness in immune system usually leads to poor eyesight and night blindness.
Beronio, who experienced night blindness while growing up in a fishing village in Palawan, said the Golden Rice Humanitarian Board is confident of the Philippines’ capability to develop beta-carotene-rich rice owing to the country’s fixed regulatory frameworks on safety evaluation.
“The country’s National Committee on Biosafety under the Department of Science and Technology provides regulatory oversight on this type of advance research, while the Bureau of Plant Industry strictly monitors field trials. We also have Administrative Order No. 8, Series of 2002 stipulating the rules and regulations on the importation and releases of plant and plant products derived from the use of modern biotechnology,” Beronio explained.
Other than the scheduled field testing of pro-beta-carotene rice, PhilRice is currently increasing the rice’s resistance to bacterial leaf blight and tungro. Dr. Antonio A. Alfonsio, acting director of the Department of Agriculture-Biotechnology, leads the project.
Meanwhile, two acceptability studies conducted by Strive Foundation in 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 revealed that 69 percent of the respondents accept biofortified rice produced through biotechnology while 58 percent of farmers and rural consumers are willing to plant, buy, and sell rice similar to the varieties to be tested by PhilRice.
DA-PhilRice is a government-owned and –controlled corporation that aims at developing high-yielding and cost-reducing technologies so farmers can produce enough rice for all Filipinos.
For more information, please visit or contact DA-PhilRice at Maligaya, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija with telephone number (044) 456-0285 loc 511/512 or any PhilRice station near you. You may also visit their website at www.philrice.gov.ph or text your questions to 0920-911-1398.
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