Manila, Sept. 19 -- Some two million bags at 20 kilos per bag of certified seeds under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) are set for distribution to rice farmers this year.
According to the Department of Agriculture (DA), the bags of seeds will roughly translate to planting around 1 million hectares of rice land which can contribute in increasing the yield up to six tons per hectare in high-yielding provinces by 2024.
Among the rice seed varieties for distribution include NSIC Rc 160, Rc 216, Rc 222, and two location-specific inbred varieties.
DA Secretary William Dar said among the provinces that are considered for the program are those with high potential for competitiveness.
"So far, we have identified 57 provinces bas...