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Archives
Feb. 1-28, 2004
Farmer's Field Day
showcases hybrid corn technologies
by Junelyn S. dela
Rosa
 To
encourage more farmers to plant hybrid corn in the region,
the Bicol Integrated Agricultural Research Center of
the Department of Agriculture (DA-BIARC RFU-5) held
a Farmer's Field Day to showcase hybrid corn technologies
and a technology forum on 15 February in Burocbusoc,
Buhi, Camarines Sur.
The activity was attended by agrarian
reform beneficiaries, representatives from the Local
Government Units (LGUs), DA-regional office and the
Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR).
The corn techno-demo project was on a
one-hectare farm planted to twelve corn hybrids and
managed by 15 farmer-cooperators who came from within
and nearby barangays. The farmer-cooperators provided
the labor while private companies provided other inputs
such as seeds, chmicals, and fertilizers. The project
was also supported by the LGU and the Bureau of Agricultural
Research of the Department of Agricluture (DA-BAR) and
BIARC scouted for techno-demo sites and convinced the
farmer-cooperators to get involved in the project.
An open form tackled relevant issues such
as the low price of corn (below P9.50 per kilo) during
harvest, lack of fertilizer subsidy, and the poor quality
of OPV seeds.
To solve the problem of low price of corn
during harvest, Regional Executive Director Hector Sales
said that the region has coordinated with the National
Food Authority (NFA) to ensure that NFA prioritizes
buying the corn farmers' produce. He also said that
Agriculture Secretary Luis Lorenzo has set the price
of corn at not lower than P11/kilo. Other measures to
solve this problem are: conducting soil analysis to
minimize the use of fertilizers and chemicals, selling
processed corn like corn grits and strengthening the
farmers' cooperative.
For lack of fertilizer subsidy, it was
explained that while fertilizer subsidy is not available,
seed subsidy is being implemented under the hybrid corn
program. This can help corn farmers cut on costs if
they decided to plant hybrid corn in their farms. Finally,
the question of having poor quality seeds was answered
by saying that farmers should use seeds that have passed
the quality check by the LGU and that to ensure that
the seeds are of good quality, they should be derived
from matured corn in the field.
February 1-28 2004 Articles:
:: S&T
in agriculture is strategy for hunger-free Philippines-FAO
::
Nat'l
convergence team consults with 3 major islands
::
Sweet
Elena is identified as best mango variety
::
Farmer's
Field Day showcases hybrid corn technologies
::
DEBESMSCAT
hosts Bicol's first white research corn review
::
She
holds her own bright light
::
I
say, Mindanao is exciting
::
Lessons
from a peri-urban agri project
::
Makapuno
industry: A goldmine overlooked
::
Reaping
benefits from China's Nongda 108
::
The
silent giant in tomato land
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