Rice yields on model farms in China is expected to climb to 13.5 MT per hectare in 2008 from 12 MT in 2004, said Yuan Longping, the world renowned "father of hybrid rice".

The rise in the hybrid rice yield will help improve farmers' incomes and feed the increasing population.

There is still plenty of room to improve the per hectare yield as the ceiling could be as high as 22.5 MT in areas like the central city of Changsha.