—Jiban Krishna Biswas—

The food security of Bangladesh largely depends on the production of rice because it satisfies most of the national calorie needs and supports millions of farming families. The cultivable land has been decreasing in the country for multiple reasons. So, it is necessary to achieve higher yields from each hectare of the lands. And the future of rice production depends on hybrid rice because it delivers 15–20% higher yields than modern inbred rice varieties.

The commercial production of hybrid rice varieties started ten years ago after their initial market entry. The national hybrid seed market operates between 18,000 and 21,000 metric tonnes, while hybrids cover 14% of the total rice cultivation area. The Boro season shows the highest hybrid adoption rate because farmers cultivate hybrids on 25% of their irrigated land due to reliable water access. The Aman and Aus rice are mostly rainfed. That is why the adoption of irrigation-dependent hybrid rice is significantly lower than in the irrigated Boro season.

The national hybrid seed market of Bangladesh faces a major challenge because it depends too heavily on foreign seed imports. The private sector companies of Bangladesh import commercial hybrids through their operations, which demand major expenses for parental line acquisition and royalty fees. The production of hybrid seeds for 18,000 acres during 2024–25 required USD 7.62 million for essential input costs. The current situation proves that Bangladesh needs to enhance its ability to produce hybrid seeds domestically because it depends too much on foreign suppliers.

The hybrid rice market operates under private company control, which includes both international and domestic businesses. BRRI has created multiple local hybrid rice varieties known as BRRI Hybrid dhan3, dhan8, dhan6, and dhan7, which help Bangladesh achieve food security through domestic seed production. The Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) functions as the national authority which directs hybrid rice development activities. The institute has developed eight hybrid rice varieties which match imported hybrids in performance and match Bangladesh’s agricultural conditions as well. The Boro season yields of BRRI Hybrid dhan8 reach 10.5–11 tonnes per hectare, while the upcoming BRRI Hybrid dhan9 and dhan10 show excellent results in salt-resistant coastal areas. Scientists have discovered hybrid lines which have the potentiality to produce more than 13 tonnes per hectare.

BRRI has strengthened its position as the leading source of hybrid rice seed production in the country by developing 181 A-lines (cytoplasmic male-sterile lines) and 56 R-lines (restorer lines). These parental lines help reduce dependence on foreign germplasm and create the potential for large-scale hybrid rice seed production within Bangladesh. In addition to that, the combination of Rapid Generation Advancement (RGA) with gene pyramiding and genomic selection at BRRI enables scientists to develop new hybrids at faster rates while making them more suitable for local farming conditions.

BRRI works with private companies through MOUs to distribute free hybrid seeds from its regional stations while providing technical support to small-scale seed producers for GA₃ (a flower-inducing growth hormone) application and field management. The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and BRRI run joint training sessions to help farmers develop their skills. In terms of quality and performance, BRRI-developed hybrid rice varieties are in no way inferior to those developed by private companies; in many cases, they are even better. Yet they have not been able to gain widespread acceptance among farmers. The main reason is that although BRRI has signed agreements with some organisations, they do not have their own marketing channels like the companies mentioned above.

The ongoing practice of importing hybrid seeds from abroad creates economic difficulties and strategic problems for Bangladesh. The hybrid seed market remains under private company control because they import their seed varieties and parental lines from abroad, yet BRRI has successfully created local hybrids and parental lines which could help Bangladesh reduce its seed imports and establish domestic seed production at scale. The adoption of local hybrids for food security in Bangladesh will increase when BRRI enhances its seed distribution network and builds better connections with private seed sectors.

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The writer is former Director General, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) and former Executive Director, Krishi Gobeshoma Foundation(KGF)