CAGAYAN de Oro City — Hybrid rice farms in Bukidnon recorded an average yield of seven metric tons per hectare, with some farmers harvesting as much as 10 metric tons, according to initial results from a government production trial.
The results were presented during a harvest festival in Purok 2, Barangay Dagumbaan, Maramag, marking the harvest of the fifth and final wet-season model farm cluster established in the province.
The Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) said the five clusters covered 100 hectares. Farmers had harvested 70 hectares at the time of reporting, while the remaining 30 hectares were still awaiting harvest.
The initial average yield of seven metric tons per hectare is expected to provide the agency with a basis for assessing whether hybrid rice technology and government assistance can improve farmers' harvests.
DA-10 Rice Program Focal Person Jurrybe J. Lachica said the model farms were established to collect actual production data and compare the performance of farms receiving government interventions with those following their usual farming practices.
"This is the last among the five clusters in Bukidnon to be harvested for this wet season. We want to gather baseline data and determine whether the interventions provided by DA have made a difference in the farmers' production compared with their usual farming practices," Lachica said.
The five clusters received hybrid seeds, organic and inorganic fertilizers, biofertilizers and biological control agents during the 2026 wet season.
For farmers, the initiative offers a chance to test whether hybrid seeds and other farm support can increase production compared with traditional planting methods.
Evangeline J. Alegado, chairperson of the San Carlos Rice Farmers Association, said their previous harvests from inbred rice averaged about 60 sacks per hectare.
She welcomed the hybrid rice seeds provided by DA-10, saying farmers were hopeful that the new technology would improve their harvests.
"Sa una nga wala pa mi naggamit og hybrid rice ug inbred pa among gitanum, ang among usa ka ektarya moabot lang og 60 ka sako ang among ma-ani. Mao nga nalipay gyud mi nga gihatagan mi sa DA-10 og hybrid rice seeds kay dako kaayo among gilauman nga mahimong ani niini," Alegado said.
(Before, when we were still planting inbred rice instead of hybrid varieties, we harvested only about 60 sacks per hectare. That is why we are happy that DA-10 provided us with hybrid rice seeds. We are hopeful that these will give us a better harvest.)
The agency plans to establish five more model farm clusters in Lanao del Norte during the next dry season. This would bring the total to 10 clusters by 2027, with five each in Bukidnon and Lanao del Norte.
The model farms form part of DA-10's efforts to improve rice production and support Northern Mindanao's push for rice self-sufficiency.
However, the initial results cover only 70 of the 100 hectares planted. The remaining harvests and a comparison with farms using conventional practices will help provide a clearer picture of whether the interventions can deliver consistent yield improvements.
For farmers considering a shift to hybrid rice, the final harvest figures, production costs and potential returns will be important in determining whether the technology is practical and sustainable for their farms.
