ST25 rice crowned world's best rice for the second time

At the 15th World's Best Rice Contest held in the Philippines, ST25 rice of Laborer Ho Quang Cua won first prize.

Mr. Ho Quang Cua happily lifted the trophy after ST25 rice won first prize in 2023 - Photo: Provided by Ho Quang Private Enterprise

Within the framework of the Global Rice Trade Conference held in Cebu, Philippines organized by The Rice Trader, Ong Cua ST25 rice won first prize at the World's Best Rice Contest.

This year's competition saw the participation of more than 10 countries and 30 rice samples submitted. As a result, Ong Cua ST25 rice won first prize, Cambodia won second prize and India won third prize.

This is the second time ST25 rice has been crowned the world's best rice at this prestigious competition.

In 2019, also in the Philippines, ST25 rice of Laborer Ho Quang Cua also won first prize for the world's best rice.

From the Philippines, Mr. Ho Quang Cua called Tuoi Tre Online to share that he was very happy and honored.

According to Mr. Cua, after winning the best rice award in 2019, with the 68-10 line, he and his colleagues continued to purify by planting each individual rice plant and by 2021 the 72-6 line was revealed.

There is no outstanding shape because the 72-6 rice plant is short, slightly slanted but less prone to lodging, blooms 5 days earlier but ripens at the same time as the 68-10 line so it has the same growth cycle. The rice grain is 0.2mm shorter than the old line.

In particular, this rice variety often ripens well so it is less prone to bulging, the rice bag is heavier than the old variety and the rice recovery rate is 0.5% better than the 68-10 variety.

Mr. Ho Quang Cua, father of ST25 rice variety, on a model rice field in Dak To Kan commune (Tu Mo Rong, Kon Tum ) - Photo: TIEN TRINH

The rice sample for the contest was grown on a scale of 2.6 hectares of Tien Cuong canal in Tien Cuong hamlet, Thanh Thoi An commune, Tran De district, Soc Trang province in the summer-autumn crop by Mr. Luu Van Hai. It is among hundreds of rice fields experimenting with biological products to prevent diseases and insects on rice plants, and is also a natural growth stimulant, without using synthetic chemicals.

The rice was harvested on September 14 and 15, when it rained heavily, so one-tenth of the area was lost and could not be harvested.

“We milled dozens of rice samples from experimental fields without using chemicals in the 2023 summer-autumn crop and finally selected Mr. Luu Van Hai's sample to compete.

The special thing is that even though it rained, the rice was harvested immediately after the weather dried and the aroma of the rice remained long lasting. The delegates asked for all 50 samples of rice in small 200g bags right after the results were announced and they were amazed by the aroma of the rice," said Mr. Cua.

According to Mr. Cua, the land (excluding the land of Thanh Thoi An) adjacent to Vien An, Vien Binh, and Tai Van communes, hundreds of years ago was the raw material area of the famous Bai Xao rice in Hong Kong. This is the land that has long produced ideal rice grains (full, white rice, slow to dry out) and until now, hundreds of years later, still produces the best rice grains and always sells for the highest price.

"With this result, we can include it in the "One million hectares" project of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, so in the future we can further upgrade Vietnamese rice," said Mr. Cua.

According to KHAC TAM - HTDUNG/Tuoi Tre Electronic Newspaper

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