By Jennifer A. Ng, Business Mirror via SEAMEO SEARCA

The Philippines is gunning for self-sufficiency in corn by 2008 and is looking to produce at least 6.5 million metric tons (MMT), the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap said the DA would have to put in some P7 billion in investments in post-harvest facilities for corn such as drying, shelling and storage facilities.

"Post-harvest facilities are critical for us to achieve self-sufficiency as this can reduce aflatoxin in corn," said Yap at the sidelines of the launch of the Corn for Health Project and awarding of outstanding corn quality farmers held in Quezon City on Wednesday.

Aflatoxin is caused by fungi and can be found in certain crops such as corn and coconut that were not properly dried. It is considered toxic and carcinogenic. Production for the whole of 2006 is expected to reach 6.1 MMT or 13.2 percent higher than the 5.3 MMT produced in 2005.

The DA attributes the double-digit hike in production to the increase in harvest area as well as the use of quality hybrid and open pollinated varieties of corn.

"Moreover, there was lesser occurrence of pests and diseases," said Yap. But while this volume is only 400,000 MMT short of the volume being targeted for 2008, Yap said it would be hard to target the volume in 2007 due to weather disturbances.

"We're not targeting self-sufficiency by next year because we have to factor in weather disturbances," he said.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) earlier said the mild El Niño weather phenomenon has started to affect the country and is expected to last until June next year.

Agriculture officials have earlier expressed concerns that this El Niño episode will cause a decline in rainfall and adversely affect production in rainfed areas.