June 29, 2004

 

 

Philippine Corn Output May Rebound In 3rd Quarter

 

The Philippines Department of Agriculture (DA) on Monday said it expects a staggering improvement in corn harvest this year. This is due to the government's aggressive planting efforts in Isabela province, which are expected to reap tremendous benefits for the domestic livestock industry through lowering the costs of feeds.

 

Citing estimates from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS), agriculture secretary Luis Lorenzo Jr. said third quarter corn production for Region 2 is expected to reach 400,000 metric tons (MT) -- a sharp increase from just 72,000 MT harvest the region posted the same period last year.

 

"The region's output is crucial because it supplies bulk of the needs of feedmillers, as well as poultry and livestock raisers in Luzon," Lorenzo said. He cited that most of the projected growth would come mostly from Isabel.

 

Planting data from the agriculture department's field unit for the region showed that 125,000 hectares worth of land were planted with corn in Isabela from April to June. "If this will be harvested at a conservative 3.2 tons yield per hectare, Isabela alone can produce the 400,000 MT for the July-September period," Lorenzo said.

 

This augers well for the livestock industry, which has been pressured by higher costs of corn feeds. That was due to previous supply shortages after the country was buffeted by weather disturbances. Higher farm output in region 2 is expected to pay off handsome dividends since only about 13.5 percent of its corn produce is used within the region.

 

The balance, or 86.5 percent, is supplied to other regions in Luzon where most feedmills are located. Mindanao's corn production has been confined to within its boundaries due to high freight costs, which have been prohibitive for most of livestock farms that have transferred to this southern island.

 

Pete Ocampo, director of the Livestock Development Council and head of the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA) Livestock Program, said that the bountiful corn harvest augers well for the country's livestock industry as this will pull down the cost of feeds.

 

GMA Corn Program director Art Salazar also confirmed massive planting of corn in Tuguegarao, Cagayan -- the highest corn producer after Isabela in Region 2 followed, by Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya. He said that the region anticipates total corn harvest recovery from losses caused by last year's typhoon and drought disasters.

 

Lorenzo said corn crop for the third quarter may grow by 24 percent to 1.79 million MT with Region 2's performance and the projected growth in other regions such as Central Luzon, Cordillera Administrative Region, Region IV-B, Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, SOCCSSARGEN and Caraga.

 

"Due to favorable economic and weather conditions, there has been large-scale hybrid corn techno demonstrations, soil fertility mapping, marketing and credit assistance to corn farmers," according to Lorenzo.

 

He also said the DA's region 2 unit and the National Food Authority (NFA) are now discussing with LGUs the possibility of using NFA's corn drying and storage facilities.

 

"The government authorized the NFA to import 350,000 MT of corn this year. Of this quantity, only 10,000 MT have been awarded to winning bidders. While price of corn in the world market is expected to remain high in next two years and with the upbeat development in the local corn production, we might no longer have no import corn this year" Lorenzo said.