DA pushes tastier, more fragrant local rice varieties

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is studying consumer behavior and shifting rice preference amid growing demand for imported varieties, particularly those from Vietnam.

The comprehensive review by the DA’s Rice Industry Development Office aims to generate actionable insights that will help local farmers and millers adjust to evolving market demand.

This process will provide inputs that allow local producers to improve grain quality and explore potential export markets.

In a statement on Friday, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said more Filipino consumers prefer quality over quantity in terms of texture, aroma and overall eating experience.

“This trend is worth watching. It may be telling us something important about what Filipino consumers are looking for,” Tiu Laurel said. “It may now be a question of quality over quantity, and that could require a shift in our agricultural policy.”

It is also implemented through OneRicePH Project, funded by the DA’s flagship National Rice Program. It is jointly undertaken by the Philippine Rice Research Institute, the University of the Philippines Los Baños and the International Rice Research Institute.

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Preliminary studies have compared Vietnamese rice to locally available inbred rice, according to Agriculture Undersecretary Christopher Morales.

“I think, in terms of quality, we have the varieties to compete with imported rice—if that is what the market requires,” Morales said.