Pursuant to the provisions of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of R.A. 7308, otherwise known as the Seed Industry Act of 1992 and upon approval of the National Seed Industry Council, the following criteria for accreditation are hereby enforced to provide and sustain the adequate supply of hybrid rice seeds of desired quality.

1. The applicant must be an individual hybrid seed grower, seed growers cooperative/association and seed company.

2. For individual hybrid rice seed grower, he must:

a. be a graduate of Hybrid Rice Seed Production training course conducted by PhilRice, BPI, ATI, DA-RFU, and LGUs;

b. have undertaken hybrid rice seed production for at least 2 seasons, wet and dry; and

c. be willing to undergo retooling course at his expense every three years before renewal of accreditation.

3. For seed growers' cooperative/association and seed company, it must:

a. be duly registered with either the Securities and Exchange Commission or Cooperative Development Authority;

b. have members who have finished the Hybrid Rice Seed Production training courses for both dry and wet seasons conducted by PhilRice, BPI, ATI, DA-RFU, and LGUs; and

c. require its members to undergo retooling course every three years before renewal of accreditation at its own expense.

4. The production area should be fully irrigated, preferably with supplementary source of irrigation, good drainage system and relatively with fertile soil.

5. The minimum effective area for hybrid rice production must be a compact area of five (5) hectares. However, for individual seed grower with less than 5 hectares, temporary accreditation will be issued within the period of three years. Renewal of accreditation will not be issued unless the minimum compact area of 5 hectares is met.

6. The seed yield of the production area during the dry and wet seasons should be at least 500 and 600 kg/ha, respectively. Such yield should be duly certified by the seed inspectors deputized by the NSQCS.

7. Standard isolation for hybrid rice production should be strictly followed as indicated in the Revised Seed Standards for the Production of Hybrid Rice Seed (F1) and Hybrid Rice Parental Seed (A or CMS line).

8. The applicant must be willing to have the field inspected by the authorized Seed Inspectors of the BPI anytime before planting throughout the growing period, harvesting, processing and storage of the seeds.

9. Accreditation must be recommended by the concerned Regional Executive Director after the Seed Inspector has validated the requirements stated herein and concurred by the Chiefs, NSQCS of the respective region.

10. The Certificate of Accreditation duly approved by the Director of the BPI shall be given to the applicant and copy furnished the Regional Executive Director and the Seed Quality Control Services.

11. Certification of Accreditation shall be valid for a period of 3 years. The performance of the accredited seed growers shall be evaluated before renewal of accreditation is issued.

Non-compliance of the above requirements shall be a ground for denial of accreditation or cancellation of existing certificate.

This Order shall take effect immediately upon signing.

Adopted: 25, Oct. 2001