Hybrid rice -- an alternative not an exclusive way out

In a recent review of World Rice Markets and Trade it was noted that "Global production in 2006/07 is projected at 407 million tons (milled basis), up by about 5.5 million tons from a revised 2005/06 estimate, with the largest increases forecast in China, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Brazil. Global consumption continues to outpace production and is expected to grow by 5 million tons to 423.2 million". Nevertheless, we still are in a deficit situation in rice production and have to depend upon import to a certain extent. So, we shall have to try to increase our yield and we have to do this with our limited facilities and land.

In China the average yield of paddy is 12 metric tons per hectare, in Vietnam it is 10 Mt/h and they could achieve it by using hybrid paddy seeds. So, if China and Vietnam could raise the yield of rice by using hybrid technology, why we should not? But it's not obvious that only hybrid rice seed we must use to get expected high yield. We have also some local varieties like BR-29 which is high yielding and in some areas of our country farmers are getting about 10 Mt/h. Moreover, they claim that, if there was no problem of deficit of fertiliser, irrigation, fuel and other essential materials, the yield must have gone up. But neither our government nor private sector can supply the farmers all their requirements for suitable cultivation as we have no control on fuel cost, fertilizer import and power supply. We also are not able to supply the quantity of quality seeds farmers need every season.

All the seeds being used by the farmers are not quality seeds. In our country only 18-20 percent of available seeds are quality seeds, of which the 'Seed Certifying Agency' certifies only 2-3 percent. On the other hand, farmers demanded that the seeds produced by different multinational companies should be certified by the 'Seed Certifying Agency' before marketing. Otherwise, the farmers are often cheated by purchasing these seeds.

The seeds farmers save from their own harvest for sowing without rouging and proper cleaning, do not ensure quality and result in lower crop yield. Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC), the major supplier of seed can provide farmers only 5-10 percent of their total need. The rest comes from different sources like private sector, NGOs and multinational companies, which together also cannot fulfil even half of the total demand.

The public sector is trying to perform a wide range of roles from the development of a new variety of seeds to final distribution to the farmers. But lack of incentives for plant breeders and absence of an inter-institutional coordination are likely to constrain the development and promotion of new varieties, and limit the expansion of rice seed market.

In this critical situation of seed market, whether we like it or not, we have to depend upon imported seeds. Most of the imported seeds are usually hybrid ones, and we are already being used to it although it has so many problems.

Hybrid rice is a result of crossing two genetically distant parents that produce superior offspring, which is based on the theory of heterosis or hybrid vigour. However, this heterosis disappears after the first (F1) generation. So, it is pointless for farmers to save seeds produced from hybrid rice. They will need to purchase new seeds every season, and it becomes so costly and almost beyond the purchasing capacity of small farmers. The price of hybrid seeds is very high, compared to its yield. Although we talk about higher yield, what one should realise is the high cost, against which usually the yield does not appear as expected. Now-a-days, farmers often complaint about low yield, high pest and disease attack, low profit and poor eating quality. Also it is heavily reliant on fertilizer and pesticides, and a very poor techno-fix to increase yield. So, after all, it is too expensive to get high yield with hybrid seeds.

In spite of all these inconveniences our farmers cultivate hybrid rice and are ready to continue if it is affordable. However, most of them are now talking about the deficit of quality seeds of local varieties. It is really difficult to find quality seeds of local varieties in huge quantity as farmers need.

Whatever it may be, we have to feed our population, which is growing by the day (Bangladesh's population now stands at nearly 150 million, making the country the most densely populated in the world). It is terrible to think that while our population is increasing our cultivable land is decreasing yielding place to the population. (Agriculture experts also say the country is losing 80,000 hectares of land to industrialisation and urbanisation each year).

Mired in so many difficulties and so much of need, it's funny to talk about choosing these or those seeds. We must help farmers to produce more food on limited land, using less water, less labour, and lower chemical inputs, without harming environment and soil quality. So in fine, it could be said that, although hybrid rice cultivation has many problems and is highly expensive, yet we can take it just as an alternative to ensure food security, not as an exclusive way out.

Dr Debashish Chanda works with Alpha Agro Ltd.