SL Agritech Corporation

What SL Agritech Corporation does

SL Agritech Corporation (SLAC) is a Philippine-based agribusiness founded by Dr. Henry Lim Bon Liong and formally incorporated on September 11, 2000, specializing in the research, development, production, and distribution of hybrid rice seed and premium packaged rice. The company's proprietary seed portfolio — SL-8H, SL-12H, SL-18H, and SL-20H — was developed in collaboration with Prof. Yuan Longping, the 'Father of Hybrid Rice,' and is supplemented by a six-year Limited-Exclusive Commercial License Agreement with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) for the elite hybrids Mestiso 6l and Mestiso 68 in the Philippines. SLAC claims an estimated 70% share of the Philippine hybrid rice variety market, supported by a 40-hectare R&D facility in Sta. Cruz, Laguna, and seed processing plants in Talavera (Nueva Ecija), Tarlac, and Davao, with contract grower networks in the Philippines, Myanmar, and Bangladesh.

The company operates a fully integrated value chain from R&D through seed hybridization, planting, harvesting, milling, packing, and distribution, selling hybrid seeds to Filipino farmers and exporting them to Vietnam, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and India. Its branded packaged rice — Doña Maria Premium Quality Rice (including Jasponica and Miponica variants), Willy Farms, and Cherry Blossom — is distributed through Philippine supermarkets, HORECA accounts, and exported to more than 11 countries across North America, the Middle East, and Oceania. Adjacent operations include SL Biotech Corporation (crop protection products such as Planergy foliar fertilizer, BLB Stopper bactericide, Jolina insecticide, and Zukol molluscicide), SL Agrifood Corporation (Cavendish bananas, mangoes, and pineapple exports), and the Doña Maria Rice Surprise food cart franchise with 14+ Metro Manila branches. SLAC funds its operations through repeated Philippine Dealing Exchange (PDEx) debt issuances, has earned a PRS Aa (corp.) issuer credit rating from PhilRatings, and operates as a privately held, family-controlled enterprise under the Lim family and the Sterling Paper Group of Companies.

Name

SL Agritech Corporation

Legal name

SL Agritech Corporation

Website

https://sl-agritech.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SL Agritech Corporation is a Philippine agribusiness developing proprietary hybrid rice seeds (SL-8H, SL-12H, SL-18H, SL-20H) and premium packaged rice (Doña Maria, Willy Farms). It serves farmers, HORECA, and retail consumers domestically and exports to 11+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Makati

HQ country

Philippines

HQ region

Asia

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hybrid Rice Seeds Sales: Sale of commercial hybrid rice seeds (SL-8H, SL-12H, SL-18H, SL-20H) to Filipino farmers and for export to Vietnam, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Indonesia and India.
2. Premium Packaged Rice: Production and sale of Doña Maria Premium Quality Rice and Willy Farms Rice through supermarkets, and to hotels, restaurants and catering services. Also exports to North America, Middle East, and Asia.
3. Doña Maria Rice Surprise Food Service: Food cart business offering ready-to-eat meals with Doña Maria rice, operating multiple branches in Metro Manila.
4. Crop Protection Products: SL Biotech Corporation produces and sells insecticides, fungicides, bactericides, molluscicides and foliar fertilizers for farmers.
5. Agricultural Exports: SL Agrifood Corporation exports tropical fruits including Cavendish bananas, mangoes, and pineapples to Middle East, Asia and Europe.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SL Agritech Corporation is a Philippine-based agricultural biotechnology company that develops, produces, and distributes proprietary hybrid rice seed varieties (SL-8H, SL-12H, SL-18H, SL-20H) and premium packaged rice under the Doña Maria and Willy Farms brands. Operations are vertically integrated from R&D and seed hybridization through planting, harvesting, milling, packing, and distribution, with supplementary offerings in crop protection products through its sister company SL Biotech Corporation and tropical fruit exports through SL Agrifood Corporation.

Product overview

SL Agritech Corporation operates as a fully-integrated agribusiness with two major divisions: hybrid seed production and premium quality rice production. The company develops, produces, and distributes proprietary hybrid rice seed varieties (SL-8H, SL-12H, SL-18H, SL-20H) through a network of contract growers across the Philippines and exports to Vietnam, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Indonesia, India, and beyond. Its packaged rice products are sold under the Doña Maria Premium Quality Rice brand (including Jasponica and Miponica variants) and the Willy Farms affordable rice brand, with additional sub-brands Cherry Blossom and brown rice snack products. The company also offers crop protection and plant nutrition products through its sister company SL Biotech Corporation (Planergy foliar fertilizer, BLB Stopper bactericide, Jolina insecticide, Zukol molluscicide), and expanded into fresh produce exports (cavendish bananas, mangoes, pineapples) through SL Agrifood Corporation. Doña Maria Rice Surprise is a food cart franchise business offering ready-to-eat rice-based meals. The overall portfolio spans from seed genetics research through to consumer packaged goods, making SLAC a vertically integrated agri-technology enterprise.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Doña Maria: Premium quality rice brand with fully-integrated system from R&D to distribution. Offers Jasponica and Miponica rice varieties, including brown rice alternatives.
• Willy Farms
• Doña Maria Rice Surprise
• SL Biotech Corporation
• Cherry Blossom
• Doña Maria Brown Rice Puff

Products and services

• SL-8H Super Hybrid Rice Seeds Proprietary high-yielding hybrid rice seed variety suitable for both wet and dry seasons, producing 7 to 17 metric tons per hectare with maturity of 105 to 115 days, plant height 118 cm, 12-28 productive tillers per plant, 260-450 filled grains per panicle, and 1000-grain weight 27-29 grams. Sold to Filipino farmers and exported to Vietnam, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and India.
• SL-12H Super Hybrid Rice Seeds Proprietary high-yielding hybrid rice seed variety suitable for both wet and dry seasons, producing 7 to 14 metric tons per hectare with maturity of 100 to 110 days, 12-24 productive tillers per plant, 260-400 filled grains per panicle, and 1000-grain weight 28-30 grams. Sold for commercial hybrid rice production and export.
• SL-18H Super Hybrid Rice Seeds Proprietary high-yielding hybrid rice seed variety suitable for both wet and dry seasons, producing 7 to 17.5 metric tons per hectare with maturity of 110 to 115 days, plant height 120 cm, 14-30 productive tillers per plant, 250-550 filled grains per panicle, and 1000-grain weight 25-27 grams. Sold for commercial hybrid rice production and export.
• SL-20H Super Hybrid Rice Seeds Proprietary high-yielding hybrid rice seed variety producing 7 to 12 metric tons per hectare with maturity of 105 to 110 days and 300 to 450 filled grains per panicle, with 1000-grain weight of 25-29 grams. Sold for commercial hybrid rice production.
• Doña Maria Premium Quality Rice Premium packaged rice brand sold in major supermarkets, exported globally, and produced through a fully-integrated system from hybrid seed research to distribution. Includes Jasponica (soft, fragrant Jasmine-Japanese hybrid) and Miponica (soft, glutinous Milagrosa-Japanese hybrid) variants, plus brown rice options. The only packaged rice brand exported from the Philippines to more than 11 countries.
• Willy Farms Rice Affordable premium rice brand distributed alongside Doña Maria through the contract growing program with Filipino farmers and sold through major supermarkets and HORECA channels.
• Doña Maria Rice Surprise Food Cart Business Food cart business launched in 2012 offering ready-to-eat meals with Doña Maria white or brown rice topped with viands such as Loma (Chinese Style Adobo), Chicken Teriyaki, Lechon Paksiw, Griddled Chicken, and Griddled Pork Liempo, plus Brown Rice Champorado and Brown Rice Arroz Caldo. Operates 14+ branches in Metro Manila.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7-17.5 metric tons per hectare yield vs. 3-4 tons for conventional rice
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corp (BADC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2022MOA on SL-8H F1 seed production. SLAC guarantees timely supply of genetically pure parental lines while BADC provides production area, inputs, facilities, labor and administrative expenses. Strengthens agriculture technology between Philippines and Bangladesh.
• International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 August 2018Six-year Limited-Exclusive Commercial License Agreement for the Philippines concerning two HRDC elite hybrids: Mestiso 6l and Mestiso 68. IRRI provides elite parental lines and hybrids while SLAC handles scaled-up production and distribution. Royalties shared with PhilRice and International Treaty for Plant Genetics.
• Department of Agriculture (DA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Masaganang Ani 300 program to promote hybrid rice adoption. DA supports with policy and extension services while SLAC provides seeds and technology.
• Go NegosyomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresidential Adviser Joey Concepcion's entrepreneurship advocacy group partnering with SLAC for Masaganang Ani 300 program to help achieve rice self-sufficiency.
• Go Negosyo and Lanao del Sur Provincial GovernmentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for 50-hectare hybrid rice technology demonstration farm in Marawi as part of rehabilitation efforts. Provided technology, financing (P1.5 million) and technical assistance.
• GMA Kapuso FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner in COVID-19 donation programs, receiving Doña Maria Jasponica brown rice donations to support frontliners and vulnerable communities.
• Quezon City Local GovernmentminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner in rice donation programs during COVID-19 pandemic to support vulnerable communities.
• Let s Eat Pare (Online Food Community)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner in COVID-19 donation and food assistance programs.
• Philippine Statistics AuthorityminorOthersLanao del Sur identified as top province with highest poverty incidence per family with average rice yield of only 3.73 metric tons per hectare.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Bayer Crop Science: Global agricultural input giant offering rice seeds, crop protection, and digital farming tools as part of a broad portfolio. While not specialized in tropical hybrid rice, Bayer's seed and crop protection business overlaps with SL Agritech's SL Biotech subsidiary products and overall agribusiness model.
• Syngenta Group: Global seed and crop protection company (owned by ChemChina) with rice seed operations across Asia. Comparable in offering combined seed genetics and crop protection chemistry across tropical markets, though part of a much broader portfolio.
• Corteva Agriscience: Global pure-play agriculture company that includes Pioneer Hi-Bred rice seed business plus crop protection products. Comparable as a developer and global seller of hybrid rice seeds with established distribution in Asia-Pacific markets.

Direct peers

• East-West Seed: Tropical vegetable and field crop seed company headquartered in Thailand with operations across Southeast Asia and India. Directly comparable to SL Agritech as an Asia-focused proprietary seed developer serving smallholder farmers in tropical climates.
• Advanta Seeds (UPL): Multinational field crop seed company under UPL with rice, sorghum, and tropical field crop seed portfolios. Comparable as a global seed developer selling proprietary hybrid seeds to emerging market farmers through distribution networks.
• Thai Wah: Thailand-based rice and starch producer with branded packaged rice products across Asia. Compares to SL Agritech's vertically integrated model with contract growers producing premium rice sold under branded SKUs in HORECA and retail channels.
• Yuan Longping High-Tech Agriculture: China's leading hybrid rice seed company founded by Prof. Yuan Longping, the 'Father of Hybrid Rice' who partnered with SL Agritech to develop SL-8H. Both companies develop and commercialize hybrid rice varieties globally with overlapping target markets in tropical Asia.

Others

• Olam Agri: Global agricultural commodities trader with significant rice sourcing, processing, and distribution operations. Comparable in the downstream rice supply chain and export market development, though not a seed producer.
• Riceland Foods: World's largest rice miller and a major US rice cooperative. Comparable in the downstream rice processing and food distribution layer of the value chain, though primarily operates in the United States and lacks SL Agritech's seed genetics focus.

Regional players

• LT Group: Philippine conglomerate with rice and flour divisions (e.g., Royal Tru, Pasificador) operating in similar domestic rice processing and distribution space. Regional competitor in packaged rice and contract growing, though not active in hybrid seed development.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SLAgritech
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sl-agritech-corporation

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SL Agritech Corporation