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China's Export of Hybrid Rice Technology Posts High Gains
Chinese hybrid rice, which has achieved the world's highest yield per-unit, is rapidly selling in many developing countries.
Known as "oriental magic rice", the hybrid was developed by Chinese scientist Yuan Longping late last century and according to sources from the agriculture department in central China's Hunan Province, it has been well received in Ecuador, Pakistan, Viet Nam and Indonesia.
The province boasts China's largest area of rice fields. Rice is the most important staple food in China and much of Asia.
The provincial agriculture department has just signed a contract with Ecuador to send Chinese technicians to demonstrate and promote the growing of hybrid rice in that country.
Spreading hybrid rice throughout developing countries is a prime method the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations is using for reducing starvation.
In August China announced a new world record for hybrid rice with a per-hectare yield for a new variety reaching 17,782.5 kg, or 12 kg more than the previous record of 17,770.5 kg.
The Longping High-Tech Holding Co. was set up in Hunan to promote hybrid rice technology in 1999. The listed company, named after the scientist Yuan Longping, is the first case a Chinese scientist's name has been used for its intellectual contribution.
The company has set up ongoing cooperation with Pakistan to grow hybrid rice. This year Pakistan laid out 10 plots of hybrid rice demonstration fields. The Longping company also sent Chinese experts to help breed the best rice strains in that country.
After successful market experience in Asian countries, the agricultural department in Hunan plans to give more efforts to exploring Latin American markets. It is negotiating with relevant departments in Venezuela, Brazil and Uruguay for the export of strain breeding and growing technology and farming mechanics.
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