Chinese Honglian hybrid rice delivers impressive yields in Pakistan

HP4 variety gets official approval, marks milestone in nationwide adoption

China’s Honglian hybrid rice has shown promising results in Pakistan, with the three varieties H13, H14, and H15 achieving yields of 11.3 tons per hectare, 12.3 tons per hectare, and 10.8 tons per hectare, respectively.

Among them, H14 stood out for its large panicles and high grain count, boosting yields by over 12% compared with local varieties, according to Prof. Zhu Renshan, Director of the China-Pakistan Joint Research Center for Honglian Hybrid Rice.

Earlier this month, Xu Zhiyong from Prof. Zhu’s team visited demonstration bases in Lahore, Multan, Sahiwal, and Vehari, meeting representatives from the University of Punjab and leading local agricultural enterprises. On October 19, the center held an on-site meeting in Vehari to promote new technologies, attended by over 200 participants, including farmers, distributors, and agricultural technology experts from Punjab and Sindh.

Read: Pakistan-China hybrid rice cooperation forges ahead

The project, first introduced in Pakistan in 2018, is a joint initiative of Wuhan University and the University of Punjab. It established the China-Pakistan Joint Research Center for Honglian Hybrid Rice in 2020, together with the Hubei Association for Science and Technology, to enhance domestic food security and boost rice exports. Demonstration plots cover key rice-growing regions in Punjab ensuring the varieties perform well across diverse agro-climatic zones.

Over the past five years, the center has developed experimental and demonstration bases spanning more than 30 acres, conducted five technical training sessions for over 300 Pakistani farmers, technicians, distributors, and government officials, and organized three international seminars on cooperative development. The project also integrates modern technologies such as AI, big data, 5G, and remote sensing to enhance yield, resilience, and mechanized seed production.

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Honglian hybrid rice’s heat-tolerance and stable seed-setting rate under extreme weather make it particularly suitable for Pakistan’s climate, offering higher yields for farmers and potential to expand rice exports.

In June 2025, the Honglian HP4 variety received registration from the Rice Variety Evaluation Committee of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, marking a milestone in its adoption across the country.

The initiative not only improves domestic food security but also provides a platform for long-term China-Pakistan cooperation in agricultural science and technology, safeguarding mutual food security and deepening strategic ties.