TACLOBAN CITY: Giant food firm TAO Corp. is introducing 100 percent hybrid rice production in two towns in Northern Samar after having verified the suitability of soil in the province for the cultivation of high-yielding varieties. Jhon Allen Berbon, Northern Samar's provincial economic development and investment promotions office head, said the company signed on Nov. 12 a memorandum of agreement with farmers' associations to carry out the Rice-to-Rise Program. According to Philippines News Agency, the target is to develop 500 hectares of land for hybrid rice production in the towns of Laoang and Las Navas. From one ton to two tons per hectare yield of rice using traditional varieties, the venture eyes eight tons to nine tons per hectare output using hybrid varieties. The target is higher than the actual 2.66 metric tons of rice yield per hectare. 'Following their exploration in the landscapes of the province, the TAO Corp. has verified the great potential of Northern Samar's soil for rice cultivation. They collaborated with the agriculture stakeholders and farmers to finally introduce the Rice-to-Rise Program and its promising methods in 100 percent hybrid rice production,' Berbon said in a phone interview Wednesday. The program is designed to empower rice farmers with new methodologies and assist in marketing their yields. TAO Corp., a leader in hybrid rice production and known for its mission to 'provide food with a purpose through innovations and brands that improve every stage of the food chain,' has successfully elevated rice yields across the country. Northern Samar is a predominantly agricultural province with 200,563 hectares devoted to farming. In 2023, the province recorded 80,590 metric tons of rice yield planted on 30,259 hectares.