China’s Honglian hybrid rice has delivered remarkable results in Pakistan, showcasing its potential to boost agricultural productivity and strengthen bilateral cooperation in agricultural innovation. Recent trials of three Honglian hybrid rice varieties, H13, H14, and H15, recorded yields of 11.3 tons, 12.3 tons, and 10.8 tons per hectare, respectively, according to China Economic Net (CEN).
Among the varieties, H14 stood out for its large panicles and high grain count, producing over 12 per cent higher yields compared to Pakistan’s conventional rice strains. Professor Zhu Renshan, Director of the China-Pakistan Joint Research Centre for Honglian Hybrid Rice, said these results mark a major step toward sustainable food security and scientific collaboration between the two nations.
Earlier this month, Xu Zhiyong, a member of Professor Zhu’s team, visited demonstration bases across Lahore, Multan, Sahiwal, and Vehari to review crop performance and interact with representatives from the University of Punjab and key agricultural enterprises. The visits highlighted the growing interest among Pakistani farmers and institutions in adopting Honglian hybrid technologies for local cultivation.
On October 19, the China-Pakistan Joint Research Centre for Honglian Hybrid Rice organised an on-site meeting in Vehari to introduce the latest hybrid rice technologies. More than 200 participants, including farmers, distributors, and agricultural experts from Punjab and Sindh, attended the event, underscoring the strong regional engagement in this initiative.
Honglian hybrid rice, developed at Wuhan University, has been promoted and demonstrated in Pakistan for more than two decades. In 2020, the China-Pakistan Joint Research Centre for Honglian Hybrid Rice was jointly established by Wuhan University, the Hubei Association for Science and Technology, and the University of Punjab to strengthen cooperation in agricultural research and technology transfer.
Over the past five years, the Centre has established demonstration bases covering over 30 acres in Pakistan, conducted five technical training programs that have benefited more than 300 Pakistani farmers, distributors, and officials, and hosted three international seminars to promote scientific collaboration.
In June 2025, the Honglian HP4 variety received registration approval from the Rice Variety Evaluation Committee of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, marking a milestone for the commercialisation of hybrid rice in Pakistan. This achievement reflects China and Pakistan’s shared commitment to agricultural innovation, sustainability, and food security under their broader framework of cooperation.
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