Manila Bulletin via Seameo Searca

The province of South Cotabato was chosen by Chinese officials as the pilot testing ground for their high-yielding corn variety, a possible alternative to the controversial Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn, according to Gov. Daisy Avance Fuentes.

Governor Fuentes who is fresh from a three-day trip to China, said Chinese officials offered to provide free hybrid corn seeds to farmers in South Cotabato to improve corn production in the area.

"I told Chinese officials that opposition to Bt corn is strong in my province. I asked them if they can provide us with their Super Hybrid corn variety as an alternative to the Bt corn and they are willing to give us free seedlings for testing," she said.

Fuentes added that several Chinese corn varieties are also presently being tested in Nueva Ecija.

She said that corn production in South Cotabato is no match compared to the one in Jilin, one of the provinces in China which Fuentes visited.

In South Cotabato, corn farmers produce only about four tons per hectare compared to their Chinese counterparts who could produce 11 tons per hectare, she said.

With the advance Chinese corn technology, Fuentes said she and three other governors who were also part of the Philippine delegation to the Chinese Agricultural Trade Fair, proposed a sisterhood pact with officials of Jilin.

She said for her part, she wants the Chinese officials to visit the province and look for possible business venture in the area.

However, Fuentes added that the main reason for the forging of a sisterhood pact is to facilitate the smooth trading of local agricultural products to China.

"They don't have mango and rambutan there. The bananas they eat there come from our country. With a sisterhood pact, we could facilitate better trade exchanges," she said.

Fuentes envied Chinese farmers who have the all-out support of their government unlike our local farmers.

"With regards to corn technology, we are far behind them because they have the appropriate government subsidy," she noted.

Fuentes said the Chinese use their corn not only for feeds but also to make other by-products like alcohol, gasoline additive and flour.

Critics of Bt corn in the province were gladdened with Fuente's news. The group has repeatedly warned farmers of the alleged dangers of the variety to human health and the environment.