For The First Time In History, Philippines Now Ready To Export Corn Under Duterte Presidency
For the first time in history, the Philippines is ready to
export corn to neighboring countries in the region under the administration of
President Rodrigo Duterte as corn harvests this year will breach the 5.6-million
tons domestic requirement.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said that based on the
report of Assistant Secretary Federico Laciste, National Corn Program Coordinator,
the Philippines’ yellow and white corn harvest for 2017 is expected to hit
8.1-million metric tons in spite of the series of natural calamities which hit
the country recently, including the 7-month El Niño.
The production of cassava, which is lumped with corn in the
animal feeds category, is seen to reach 570,000 metric tons, contributing
further in stabilizing the corn and animal feeds supply in the Philippines, Sec.
Piñol added.
Thus, Sec. Piñol asks President Duterte during the Cabinet
meeting on Monday, January 23, to direct the National Food Authority (NFA) to
amend its rules prohibiting the export of corn until the country doubles its
corn production to 200%.
Laciste called the NFA rule regulating the export of corn
(and rice) “unfair” and “unjust” to the Filipino farmers because the entry of
imported corn to the country had been liberalized.
“This is the first time that the Philippines will achieve a
120% corn sufficiency,” Sec. Piñol noted.
For 2016, in spite of the 7-month El Niño which ravaged the
country’s agricultural areas, the country posted a 7.5-million metric ton
harvest for both yellow and white corn while cassava production reached 536,000
metric tons.
“Corn production is expected to be boosted further with the approval
and adoption of the Solar-Powered Irrigation System based on the technical
validation and recommendation of the DA’s Central Agriculture and Fisheries
Engineering Division (CAFED),” Sec. Piñol said.
On January 20 meeting at the Bureau of Plant
Industry (BPI) compound in Malate, Manila attended by top officials of the
Department of Agriculture, the adoption of drip irrigation using the Solar-Powered
Irrigation System and the use of hybrid corn seeds were identified as priority
measures in the National Corn Program.
Irrigating corn fields, which is already being done in parts
of Central Luzon, Cagayan Valley and Ilocos Region has proven to tremendously
boost production per hectare which now has a national average of 4.7-metric
tons per harvest.
In Central Luzon Region, DA Regional Director Andrew
Villacorta reported that the highest harvest posted in an irrigated corn field
was an astounding 15 metric tons, which is higher by 10 tons over the national
average production.
The country’s corn productivity, however, is affected by the
very low prices of corn during harvest season owing mainly to the lack of
post-harvest facilities like dryers.
“The very low prices have dampened farmers’ interest in corn
farming and affected the growth of the sector,” Sec. Piñol said.
The export of corn to such countries as Malaysia, Taiwan and
South Korea could result in better prices for yellow corn and is expected to encourage
farmers to plant more.
Furthermore, Sec. Piñol also directed the National Rice and
Corn Program officials to focus their financial resources on providing farmers
post-harvest facilities, including harvesters and dryers.
“With the use of hybrid corn seeds, sufficient fertilizers,
solar-powered irrigation system and efficient post-harvest facilities, the
country’s corn production could double during the next five years of the
Duterte Presidency,” Sec. Piñol stressed.
For The First Time In History, Philippines Now Ready To Export Corn Under Duterte Presidency
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January 23, 2017
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