Corn farmers belonging to the Philippine Maize Federation Inc. (PhilMaize) called on the Duterte administration to create a separate body that will oversee the government’s program for the corn sector.
PhilMaize President Roger V. Navarro said during the recent 12th National Corn Congress that his group supports the plan of Congress to create the Philippine Corn Development Authority.
“Congress aims to file a resolution to create the Philippine Corn Development Authority. Hopefully, this will address the concerns of corn farmers, particularly on farm-gate prices,” Navarro said.
Currently, the National Food Authority (NFA) is the agency mandated to regulate and monitor the stability of corn supply and prices in the country.
Navarro criticized the NFA’s supposed failure to provide the needs of the corn farmers, despite the importance of corn in boosting the government’s bid to achieve food security.
“This is because you can only see rice, pork, chicken, beef, fish and egg in your table when you dine,” he said.
Earlier Navarro told the BusinessMirror that corn output could decline if the government would fail to address the “persistent” drop in farm-gate prices.
“Our farmers could be discouraged, given the initial developments of falling prices of corn. Should that happen, it would affect their planting intentions, and we may not be able to reach our production target,” he said.
According to a report from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the average farm-gate price of yellow corn as of end-October was the lowest since September at P10.69 per kilogram. The figure was also 7.33 percent lower than last year’s price of P11.54 per kg.
The NFA, however, said in a statement that it continues to buy corn, aside from palay, from local farmers to assure them of a ready market at “reasonable prices”.
Data from the PSA showed that corn output in the third quarter rose by 10.61 percent to 2.7 million metric tons. The PSA said corn production benefited from the expansion of harvest areas in Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Navarro also said the government should help corn farmers to export corn so they could increase their income.
To boost the competitiveness of local corn farmers, PhilMaize said there is a need to increase the country’s corn yield per hectare and to cut production cost. Navarro added that the corn sector needs better market linkages and postharvest technology.
“Our farmers need precise farming through technology provided by the Department of Agriculture and trainings provided by extension workers,” Navarro said.