Dinorado bags spot among World’s Best Rice varieties

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The Philippine Star

December 7, 2025 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — A rice variety developed by Filipino breeders has earned international recognition after being named one of the winners in the World’s Best Rice 2025 Awards held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, affirming the country’s growing reputation in producing premium-quality rice.

NSIC Rc 218 SR (Mabango 3), bred by the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice), was cited among the world’s finest for its soft texture, aromatic quality, and exceptional grain characteristics during the Global Rice Trade Conference last month.

The competition featured 30 entries from countries including Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Australia and the Philippines, and was judged in a double-blind review by the winner of the Lord of Rice contest, chef Robert Nieto.

Known in the market as Dinorado, Mabango 3 has long been favored by Filipino farmers and consumers for its fragrant aroma and soft texture. Traders often buy it at a higher price per kilogram than other varieties.

The variety also offers farmers a potential yield of up to eight tons per hectare, matures 120 days after seeding, and grows to an average height of 106 cm, making it well-suited for general cultivation.

“This affirms that our research program at DA-PhilRice is fully capable of delivering products, varieties in this case, that genuinely advance the general welfare of our rice farmers and the Filipino people. This is, in fact, our purpose, the reason for our being. World-class na bigas, kaya ng Pinas,” said Dr. John de Leon, PhilRice executive director.

NSIC Rc 218 SR variety, bred by Thelma Padolina and Emily Arocena and their partners and team, was officially approved by the National Seed Industry Council in 2009 for commercial cultivation in the country. It is one of the 121 rice varieties developed by PhilRice over its 40 years of operation, underscoring the institute’s long-standing commitment to developing high-yielding, quality, and climate-resilient rice for Filipino farmers.

Rowena Sadicon of the Philippine Rice Industry Stakeholders Movement submitted the celebrated variety as the country’s entrant to the prestigious rice competition. Organized annually and hosted by The Rice Trader, the World Rice Conference gathered over 400 delegates, including industry leaders, trade stakeholders, and policymakers from around the world. It serves as a global platform for fostering trade relationships and recognizing agricultural excellence bringing together essential stakeholders involved in production, trade, logistics, policy and consumption.