The government is adopting a standard for organic rice which will boost export of the chemical freegrown rice that the Philippines has already exported to Switzerland and may prospectively ship to Japan.

Gilbert F. Layese, Director of the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standards (BAFPS), said the Department of Agriculture (DA)-attached BAFPS is now drafting a food standard in compliance with standard of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement (IFOAM) to strengthen organic rice’s export potential.

“We exported organic rice to Switzerland. Other countries may follow suit, affluent countries are quite interested in organic rice. Once our integrity is established, countries will recognize us,” he said in an interview.

Layese said the Organic Producers and Traders Association (OPTA) has applied as a certifying body fo rorganic rice.

Important in an organic certification, he said, is the indication of traditional varieties that may be called organic. Also, a standard cropping system has to be recognized which usually indicates a two-year lag time from the time to shift from chemical-based farming to organic farming.

“If the area has been planted to organic rice, chemical residues (may be retained in the soil) so you can’t just say the rice is organic in one cropping. Our standard (gap) is two years in order to ensure the absence of chemical,” he said.

Another consideration is a farm’s distance from the next inorganic farm.

The Philippines has so far exported 25 MT of organic rice to Switzerland by a cooperative, Broad Initiatives for Negros Development Inc. (BIND).

Eva de la Merced, BIND executive director, said its organic rice has been accepted by an organic certifying body in Switzerland and by the Philippine Organic Standards of the Department of Trade and Industry which authenticated growing of more than 100 traditional rice varieties on 1,000 hectares in Negros Occidental Calatraba, Salvador Benedicto, Mt. Kanlaon, La Carlota, Bago, and Ponteverde.

Layese said other areas also grow organic rice as this rice free from chemical fertilizers or pesticides makes use of traditional varieties. It is also grown in Pili, Camarines Sur, Nueva Ecija, and Cagayan de Oro.

At present, only about 0.1 percent or 500 hectares is planted to organic rice in the country.

Layese said the Bureau of Plant Industry will analyze chemical residues in the farms in its labotatories.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yao said Japanese investors are interested in infusing capital in growing organic rice that may also be shipped to Japan.