September 5, 2003
Philippine's Corn Harvest Increases 6% in the 1st Semester
The Philippines Department of Agriculture (DA) has reported that corn harvest for the first semester of 2003 rose six per cent compared to the same period last year, despite the effects of the El Nio drought and successive typhoons.
The increase in the corn harvest was attributed to the successful implementation of the Grains Highway Program (GHP) instituted by DA Secretary Luis Lorenzo Jr. two years ago.
Lorenzo said the GHP was a component of the Guintong Masaganang Ani (GMA) agenda of the DA for all important crops of the agricultural sector. The GHP is a seed-to-shelf corn development program directed toward expanding production and improving marketing efficiency and product quality. Lorenzo said the corn production started increasing in the first quarter of 2003. He said the National and Economic Development Authority (NEDA) reported that corn production went as high as 22 per cent from January to March because of bumper harvests in many parts of Mindanao.
However, the bumper harvest was affected by the end effects of El Nio in the Cagayan Valley and other parts of Northern Luzon where planting was delayed due to the prolonged drought. This pulled down the corn harvest for the quarter. Lorenzo said despite this, corn production still went up by six per cent during the first half of 2003. He said corn is a major food crop for the country, providing employment for 1.5 million Filipinos. Fifty per cent of the poultry feed and 40 per cent of the hog feed needs in the Philippines come from corn.
Because of the expansion of the poultry and the hog sector, the demand for local yellow corn has also increased in the past two years, he said. But despite a steady increase in corn production caused in part by improved seeds and cultivation methods, the Philippines continues to import corn.
In 2001, domestic production of corn was 5.5 million metric tons (MMT), but the demand amounted to 5.5 MMT. Hence, the country was forced to import one million metric tons of corn to meet the total demand.
"This recurring problem has paved the way for the launching of the President's flagship project dubbed as the Grains Highway Program," said Lorenzo. "It is a seed-to-shelf corn development program directed towards expanding production, increasing farm productivity, improving the efficiency of corn marketing and logistics, and upgrading the quality of corn," he said.
Under the leadership of Secretary Lorenzo, the DA started a parallel effort to introduce new hybrid corn seeds under its GMA-Corn Program in order to increase the yield of corn per hectare.
A new hybrid corn seed from China is also being propagated under the program. A DA spokesman said local government units are cooperating with the corn production program for their particular communities.
