NATIONAL COORDINATED RICE PROGRAMME
NARC, Islamabad
INTRODUCTION
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Rice, an important food and cash crop, is the third largest crop of Pakistan after wheat and cotton. It is planted on an area of over 2.5 million ha (11% of the total cropped area) and accounts for 17% of the total cereals produced annually. The annual production of milled rice is about 5.5 million tonnes sharing 5.5% in agriculture sector and 1.1% in GDP. Pakistan is famous for growing and exporting long grain aromatic Basmati rice. Rice exports hovering around three million tonnes per annum have accounted for 5% of the foreign exchange from merchandize exports. The rice export increased manifold during the recent years and a record export of 3.69 million tonnes of worth about Rs.70 billion was made during 2005-06 (Figure 1). The country ranks 14th in terms of rice production and 6th in rice export in the world. |
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Figure 1: Rice export of Pakistan |
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Rice zones In Pakistan, rice is grown under diverse climatic and edaphic conditions. Basmati predominates in traditional rice tracts of Punjab (Zone II). In Swat (Zone I) at high altitude mountain valleys, cold tolerant rices are grown. In the south of NWFP, Sindh and Balochistan (Zone III and IV), IRRI type medium long grain heat tolerant tropical rices are grown (Figure 2).
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Figure 2: Rice zones of Pakistan |
Area, production and yield of rice
Rice productivity in Pakistan is low than many other rice growing countries of the world. Rice production and yield in Pakistan were increasing consistently and highest production (5.2 million tones) and yield was obtained during the year 1999. Due to acute shortage of water and prolonged drought conditions, rice production reduced to 3.8 million tones during 2001 (Figure 3). Later on, the production trend has increased up to 5.6 million tones since 2005. This was achieved due to combined efforts of rice research and development, favourable environmental conditions, high prices of paddy and good economic return to farmers (Figure 4).
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| Figure 3: Area, production and yield of rice in Pakistan | Figure 3: Area, production and yield of rice in Pakistan |
Historical Rice Research Developments
Rice is one of the oldest cultivated crops in
Pakistan. Historically, the research on rice in Pakistan was initiated in 1912
with the establishment of Agri. Research Station at Larkana, Sindh. However,
rice varietal improvement was started in 1920. In 1938, Rice Research Station
was established at Dokri, Sindh and then station was upgraded to institute in
1970. In Punjab, rice research was initiated in 1926 with the establishment of
Rice Research Station, Kala Shah Kaku. The station was upgraded into a
mono-crop, multidisciplinary institute with a wider mandate in 1970. In NWFP,
rice varietal improvement work was started at Agri. Research Institute, Tarnab,
Peshawar in 1962. In 1964, rice research was shifted to Mansehra and D. I. Khan
and then from Mansehra to Mingora Swat in 1975.
Keeping in view the production problems of rice growers in diverse climatic zones, several rice research facilities were opened in other areas. A National Coordinated Research Programme (NCRP) on rice was initiated in 1975. Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) acts as coordinating agency and integrates the research activities with a full time National Coordinator. The overall objective was to strengthen and coordinate rice related research and development activities in the country. Since 1975 NCRP on rice has been playing a vital role in rice improvement with the collaboration of its units. Coordinated Rice Programme has established viable linkages at national and international level especially with IRRI and RWC (Figure 5). Major activities of the NCRP are:
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• Germplasm acquisition and distribution • Organize National Uniform Yield Trials • Arrange travelling seminars and annual meetings
• Strengthening public-private partnership. Besides coordination, monitoring and evaluation of research and development activities, PARC conducts research on those aspects which are not being taken by other institutions. Research and development infrastructure in Pakistan has the potential to cater the needs of rice growers, rice industry and foreign market.
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Figure 5: Cooperating units of rice programme |
In addition to aforementioned cooperating units, Rice Programme is working in close collaboration with various institutes/programmes at NARC, Islamabad. Rice Programme has also established viable public-private partnership to boost rice research and development activities mainly with the development and commercialization of rice hybrids.
Rice Research
Institute (RRI), Kala Shah Kaku is mainly responsible for research and
development of Basmati rice in the Punjab province and RRI, Dokri on IRRI rice
in Sindh and Balochistan. Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB),
Faisalabad and NIA, Tandojam are working on the development of rice varieties
through mutation breeding. Soil Salinity Research Institute (SSRI), Pindi
Bhattian is working on reclamation of saline soils, develop salt tolerant rice
varieties and develop technologies to grow rice under saline conditions. The
Centre of Excellence of Molecular Biology (CEMB), Lahore is making efforts to
incorporate resistant genes against major insect pests of rice through
innovative techniques. Agricultural Research Institute (ARI), D.I. Khan mainly
emphasize on the management of stem borers. However, Agricultural Research
Institute (North) Mingora, Swat is working on the development and cultivation of
cold tolerant rice varieties. Government Seed Farm, Usta Muhammad (Balochistan)
and Directorate of Agriculture, Muzaffarabad, AJK are the varietal testing sites
only.
Public-private partnership
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PARC/NARC has run a tripartite project in collaboration with EMKAY Corporation, Lahore and China from 2001 to 2006. The objectives of the project were to develop rice hybrids in Pakistan specially for Sindh, Balochistan and Southern Punjab; on job training of Pakistani scientists and establishment of hybrid seed production and marketing infrastructure in private sector. The research work was carried out for the last five years at EMKAY Farm, Farooqabad. Some promising hybrids have been developed. At the moment seed of 17 hybrids has been produced by EMKAY. Seven hybrids developed by EMKAY Corporation have been included in the country wide adaptability trials.
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Hybrid rice |
PARC/NARC has been conducting adaptability trials on rice hybrids in collaboration with Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department since 2005. So far, 80 rice hybrids supplied by different national and multinational seed companies have been tested for adaptability in National Uniform Yield Trial (NUYT). These trials were planted at various locations through out the country. The crop stand of few hybrids was excellent and out yielded the commercial variety, IR-6. Seven rice hybrids have already been recommended by Variety Evaluation Committee (VEC) for further approval of National and Provincial Seed Councils for general cultivation. In addition, certain resource conservation technologies (RCTs) are being refined and disseminated through viable public-private partnership. In future, such collaborative activities will continue to strengthen the public-private partnership.
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