Chinese Honglian hybrid rice has shown promising results in Pakistan, with the three varieties H13, H14 and H15 achieving yields of 11.3 tonnes per hectare, 12.3 tonnes per hectare and 10.8 tonnes per hectare, respectively.
Among them, H14 stands out with its large panicles and high number of grains, increasing yields by more than 12 percent compared with local varieties, according to Professor Zhu Renshan, director of the China-Pakistan Joint Research Center for Honglian Hybrid Rice.
Earlier this month, Xu Zhiyong of Professor Zhu’s team visited demonstration bases in Lahore, Multan, Sahiwal and Vehari, meeting representatives from Punjab University and large local agricultural companies. On October 19, the center organized an on-site meeting at Vehari to promote new technologies, which was attended by over 200 participants, including farmers, distributors and agricultural technology experts from Punjab and Sindh.
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The project, first introduced in Pakistan in 2018, is a joint initiative of Wuhan University and Punjab University. It established the China-Pakistan Honglian Joint Hybrid Rice Research Center in 2020, together with the Hubei Association for Science and Technology, to improve national food security and boost rice exports. The demonstration plots cover the major rice growing regions of Punjab, ensuring that the varieties perform well in various agro-climatic zones.
Over the past five years, the center has developed experimental and demonstration bases spanning over 30 acres, conducted five technical training sessions for more than 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 improve yield, resilience and mechanized seed production.
Learn more: Chinese hybrid rice will reform production
Honglian hybrid rice’s heat tolerance and stable germination rate under extreme weather conditions make it particularly suited to Pakistan’s climate, providing higher yields for farmers and potential for expanding rice exports.
In June 2025, the Honglian HP4 variety was registered by the Rice Variety Evaluation Committee of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, marking a significant milestone in its adoption across the country.
The initiative not only improves national food security, but also provides a platform for long-term cooperation between China and Pakistan in agricultural science and technology, ensuring mutual food security and deepening strategic ties.
