By Melody M. Aguiba, Manila Bulletin via SEARCA BIC

The government is targeting to raise hybrid corn area to 314,910 hectares this year, up by 59,110 hectares, as it catches up with a 5.7 million metric tons (MT) corn target amid a projected 280,000 MT production cut in the first half due to drought.

Jesus S. Binamira, Department of Agriculture (DA) corn coordinator, said DA has allocated a P 70.93 million budget for the seed subsidy worth P1,200 per hectare for the hybrid corn expansion. This consists of 32,210 hectares of new corn lands, 10,500 hectares of corn areas intercropped with coconut.

The largest expansion areas are in Maguindanao, 4,700 hectares plus 1,000 hectares of coconut intercrop; Masbate, 2,000 hectares; Davao Sur, 2,000 hectares; Bukidnon, 1,860 hectares plus 3,000 hectares of converted sugarland; and Agusan Sur, 1,550 hectares.

Other expansions are in Sarangani, 1,450 hectares plus 1,200 of coconut intercrop; Quezon, 1,500 hectares plus 2,000 of coconut intercrop; Mindoro Oriental, 1,500 hectares; Sultan Kudarat, 1,350 hectares; Isabela and Cotabato, 1,200 hectares each; Tarlac, 1,000 hectares of 1,000 of converted sugarlands.

Corn production in the first half is projected by the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) to drop by 280,000 MT or by 12 percent from 2.33 million MT in the same period last year. But Binamira said DA is hoping that the decline is not as steep as predicted so that DA will still achieve its 5.7 million targeted output for 2005, up by 5.3 percent from 2004.

"The drought was serious, but we hope reduction is not as big as foreseen. Besides, corn in many upland areas were not affected by the floods (from the December typhoons). We're still targeting 5.7 million tons this year that's why we have this hybrid corn expansion," he said in an interview.

He added that corn in major producing province, Cagayan was flooded and that replanting was delayed as farmers waited for floodwaters to recede.

Part of DA's intervention in corn is also provision of post harvest facilities including dryers, corn harvesters and shellers, and construction of far-level grains center and multi-purpose drying pavements. This will be in coordination with the National Food Authority and local government units (LGUs).

As of 2004, corn wastage was placed by DA at a hefty 1.083 million MT while the shortfall was only equivalent to 681,000 MT.

"With our 5.413 million tons production in 2004, we would have been self sufficient if not for the wastage due to the lack of post harvest facilities," Binamira said.

This wastage is actually seen to grow to 1.53 million MT in 2005 or a sizable 20 percent of the targeted corn output.

Other programs for corn are the pilot farm mechanization and tractor pool, small farmer irrigated corn production which will provide shallow tube wells on credit to farmers together with a cost sharing agreement with local government units (LGUs), provision of overhead irrigation systems; and provision of aflatoxin testing kits.