TABUK, Kalinga, Philippines - Upland farmers in the province see breakthrough in the production of their traditional rice, known as Kalinga Unoy Red Rice, with the Upland Rice-based Cropping Technology introduced by the Department of Agriculture (DA).

The cropping system is aimed at increasing the productivity of farmers involved in traditional rice production.

Provincial Agriculturist Gerry Jose said the technology is being piloted in the barangays of Balawag and Agbannawag in Tabuk City through the Farmers Field School (FFS) program in order to ensure increased productivity among the traditional rice farmers considering that the local rice variety now commands a higher price in the international market but the same has a limited supply.

Kalinga has four varieties of Unoy red rice – Bolinao, Mimis, Gomiki and UPL – which are known for distinct aroma and taste. The red rice has gained recognition from the American and European markets who are now the primary buyers of the native rice varieties being exported to the United States and Europe.

Tourists travelling to Kalinga could claim of having a perfect tour only if they bring home any of the Unoy rice varieties which are being produced by selected farmers in identified organic native rice production areas in the different parts of the province.

From folk’s annotations, an approaching visitor is lured to stay for lunch once he savors the aroma of Unoy rice being cooked by a local household and is enticed to look for available sources of the rice varieties which he could bring home.

Farmers saw the breakthrough when a techno-demo farm in Barangay Balawag for the Bolinao Unoy showed a production capacity of 200-210 cavans a hectare which could help significantly increase the productivity of farmers engaged in the lucrative native rice trade.

Jose admits that Unoy rice, considered as among the province’s traditional upland rice, has relatively low production capacity and is a target of DA’s farm upgrading technology to help increase the production of farmers that will translate to increased income and improved living condition on the part of the farmers and their respective families.

Through the technology, farmers in the uplands of Kalinga see hope of becoming self-sufficient in rice, whose rice supply comes mostly from lowland rice farms.

As support, DA-Cordillera regional office invited upland farmers to an Investment Forum for Marketing of Traditional Rice, participated by some upland farmers from the province.

DA planned to establish upland rice sales center in areas in the region where there is high production of upland rice under its marketing support program.

Since 1997, Kalinga Unoy red rice reached markets in Montana, USA through the Revitalized Indigenous Cordillera Entrepreneurs, Inc. (RICE, Inc) and that it continues to invade the international markets because of its rapidly increasing demand as a result of its lasting aroma which is part of the likes of foreigners consuming the locally produced rice variety.