07 April 2015 - In line with the Embassy’s personnel development program, the Philippine Embassy in Mexico, led by Ambassador Catalino R. Dilem, Jr., visited the San Jose Rice Mill and the Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP), located in the State of Morelos, Mexico on March 28. 

The San Jose Rice Mill was established in 1893 and is currently one of the four existing rice mills in the State of Morelos.  The rice variety produced, known as the Morelos variety, had been awarded a silver medal for “best rice in the world” at the World Expo in 1990 held in Paris.

Founded in the 1940s, INIFAP conducts scientific and technological research in agriculture, livestock and forestry. It has the first and only rice germplasm bank in Mexico. 

The Embassy personnel were toured around the San Jose Rice Mill by Mr. Jose Cruz Solis, the administrator of the rice mill. At INIFAP, the Embassy personnel were assisted by Dr. Leticia Tavitas and Mr. Leonardo Hernandez Aragon. Dr. Tavitas is a biologist, researcher and head of the rice laboratory, while Mr. Hernandez is an agricultural engineer.  Both officials took special courses at the Philippines’ International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in 1990.

Dr. Tavitas said that the rice samples from the different areas of Morelos undergo testing in their laboratory as to their resilience to disease, adaptability to climate, ease of growing, low maintenance and culinary values.

The visit concluded with a tour of the experimental rice paddies at the Institute, where hybrid rice are grown and produced.  The project, headed by Mr. Hernandez, is part of a 5-year government-funded program and aimed at helping to meet Mexico’s rice requirement.  

The visit was organized by Dr. Juan Antonio Siller of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and the National Institute for Anthropology and History (INAH).  END