The Department of Agriculture (DA) is developing a roadmap that will address challenges and opportunities in the country’s corn sector in the face of rising demand for animal feeds, food and other industrial uses of corn.
In a statement, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the roadmap will address issues on investments in mechanizing farm operations to raise productivity; setting up of postharvest facilities to minimize wastage; and reduction of costs of storage, milling, logistics and transport.
These are aimed at increasing the average yield per hectare of corn and at attaining cost-efficiencies in the corn-feed-meat value chain.
“The corn sector, being a major input to the poultry and swine industries, should be given more importance and long-term view to ensure its sustained contribution to the meat value chain and in general, to the Philippine food systems,” Dar added.
DA said the roadmap will focus on increasing the productivity of major corn producing areas of the country, particularly in the regions of Cagayan, Northern Mindanao and Soccsksargen.
Milo delos Reyes, DA corn program director, said the country’s current national average yield of yellow corn is at 4.18 metric tons (MT) per hectare (ha) but when combined with white corn, total average yield is reduced to 3.18 MT per ha.
Average yield of hybrid corn is at 8 MT per ha.
De los Reyes said the roadmap will encourage private sector like seed producers, feed millers and commercial feed manufacturers to engage in more joint ventures or direct marketing linkages with organized corn farmers’ cooperatives and associations.
“The roadmap is envisioned to be wholly owned by the industry, and responsive to the aspirations of corn farmers and industry stakeholders, who are dependent on this major commodity as source of livelihood, employment and incomes,” Dar said.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed the country produced 3.88 million MT of corn for the first half of the year, 6 percent higher from the 3.65 million MT recorded in the similar period in 2020.
