Better-tasting rice to be cultivated in next planting

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it will encourage the cultivation of high-yielding rice that satisfies consumer preferences for taste.

Agriculture spokesman Arnel V. de Mesa said the DA will study imported rice varieties like Vietnam’s OM18, OM5451, and DT8, which are both high-yielding and make for good eating.

Some Philippine rice varieties are high-yielding but are not considered good-tasting, like 222 and RC10, he said.

“We cannot sacrifice the quality and quantity,” he added.

Mr. De Mesa said the DA will help farmers plant high-yielding, good-quality varieties in the next cropping season.

The DA expects a harvest of about 11 million metric tons during the wet season, which runs between October and November. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza