January 13, 2010

Central Mindanao tests Taiwanese hybrid corn

The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Central Mindanao is currently testing a Taiwanese hybrid corn variety in demonstration farms to gauge its adaptability in the region.

The trial is already in the second cropping season, and results so far have been encouraging, said Tommy Ala, regional agriculture director.

Recently, agriculture experts from Taiwan from the Food and Fertiliser Technology Centre, visited Alabel town to check on the suitability of their hybrid corn variety in the region while offering to share Taiwanese expertise and production technologies in corn growing to Filipino farmers.

A Taiwanese agriculture official said they are coordinating with local agriculture staff and the private sector for the propagation of the foreign corn variety in the area.

Nelly E. Ylanan, DA-Central Mindanao information officer, said they have been inviting investors in crops.

Central Mindanao is the third largest corn producing area in the Philippines after Cagayan Valley and Northern Mindanao. Central Mindanao also has the highest number of corn clusters organised, with 204 corn clusters with a minimum of 200 hectares each cluster.