OPA promotes corn hybridization to Bohol farmers
In order to achieve the desired target on the Advanced Rural Transformation (ART) Corn Technology 100 program, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) has been promoting the use of farm mechanization and corn hybridization to the Boholano farmers, improving productivity.
The government is also setting the tone between the financing institution and its conduit for easy access on loans to the farmers for land preparation in the coming planting season on April and May.
Assistant Provincial Agriculturist Larry M. Pamugas said that the goal for ART Corn Technology 100 to yield 100 cavans of shelled corn per hectare (ha.) is achievable if the farmers would adopt the modern way of corn farming.
Pamugas bared that the interventions to the farmers on the clustered known corn municipalities include: giving free corn seeds and 2 bags of organic fertilizer per ha., and providing technical assistance.
CORN TOWNS AND HECTARAGE
Provincial Corn Coordinator Leon Parac, Jr. disclosed that the clustered known corn towns in Bohol are Carmen, Sagbayan, Ubay, Sierra-Bullones, Dagohoy, San Miguel, Alicia, Anda, Valencia, Dimiao, Trinidad and Danao.
Parac said that Bohol has 15,000 has. of corn potential areas wherein of these areas only 4,489.76 has. were planted last planting season, thus the provincial government has continued the call to till the other potential areas which can contribute food sufficiency in Bohol.
During the urgent meeting called by Dr. Pamugas last Tuesday participated by farmers coops and irrigation associations presidents, Cecilio Clarete, Manager- Bohol Lending Center, Land Bank of the Philippines, Tagbilaran City stated the readiness of LBP to grant loans to the farmers through the coop conduits.
Clarete stressed that the bank had already released loans for the purchase of 40 tractors which are now serving at the different farmers’ associations in Bohol.
Based on statistics, a Boholano has registered 4.62 kilograms (kgs.) per capita consumption for corn very much lower than that of rice which has registered at 115 kgs.
MARKETING ASPECT
Arnel Terec, Marcela Farm Special Project In- Charge said that as of now their buying price of shelled corn is P12-P12.50 per kilo for white variety and P13-P13.50 per kilo for yellow variety.
Terec emphasized that Marcela Farm is still open for the negotiation to come up with the marketing agreement of P15 buying price per kilo just for the benefits of the corn farmers in Bohol.
Meanwhile, Rocky Tidon from the Philippines Crops Insurance Corporation(PCIC) assured the farmers for their continued service.
Tidon urged the farmers to make sure that their planted agricultural products must be insured at the PCIC because of the uncertainty in farming nowadays due to climate change. (with report from Atoy Cosap)
