VALENCIA CITY, Bukidnon, Nov. 7 – Aimed to help farmers whip up a better selling price for their produce, Bukidnon third district congressman Manuel F. Zubiri sought help from the Department of Agriculture (DA-10) for a discussion focusing on the traders’ current buying prices of yellow corn and ensure long-term stable market prices.
The congressional, provincial and municipal governments of Bukidnon, corn clusters, feed millers, and DA-10 convened recently in Valencia City for a Consultation Meeting as corn grains farm gate prices have dropped even lower than its production costs.
Being the second top corn-producing province across the country, Bukidnon has posted a production of 714,673 metric tons (MT) of yellow corn last year, based on Philippine Statistics Authority data.
In mid-September this year, average farm gate buying price for yellow corn ranged from P9.80-10.50 in Bukidnon, while it is pegged at P12.50-16.00 for feed millers and processors buying across Region 10.
Carlota S. Madriaga, regional technical director for operations of DA-10 emphasized that the agriculture department continues to work and even made number of engagements with various agri stakeholders aimed to bring up measures and strategies to help farmers demand better prices for their corn harvest and come up with a unified and harmonized action plan for Northern Mindanao’s corn industry, especially in Bukidnon.
“As early as 2018, we have directly linked the Mantibugao Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Farmers’ Cooperative (MARBFC) of Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon with Pilmico Foods Corporation to serve a portion of said company’s requirements for animal feeds. As part of their corporate social responsibility, it is also their way of helping farmers through inclusive corn sourcing project,” Madriaga reported.
Currently, the Cooperative has a target purchase order with Pilmico a minimum of 250 metric tons at P15.00 per kilo.
In a bid to open more marketing support for Bukidnon corn farmers, Madriaga explained that the ‘big brother-small brother’ marketing strategy is also in place.
“As the big brother, MARBFC acts as a consolidator, buying the produce of its members and other cooperatives, even as far as the towns of Kibawe and Kadingilan to assist small corn farmers in selling their harvest to Pilmico, where the Cooperative buys their [small corn farmers] yellow corn at P13.00 per kilo.”
She added that other corn clusters linked to Pilmico includes Kaugayan Savers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (Impasug-ong); Salvacion Multi-Purpose Cooperative (Kadingilan); and the BFI Employees Agrarian Reform Cooperative (Don Carlos), who are now waiting for quality control results of their submitted corn samples.
Likewise, Madriaga reiterated DA Secretary William Dar’s call for local government units (LGUs) to lend a hand in stabilizing prices of the country’s major staple food crops.
For this, she urged LGUs to access loans assistance from Landbank of the Philippines to procure commodities direct from the farmers such as corn and rice, and to establish post-harvest and logistics facilities.
Congressman Zubiri, meanwhile, announced that he is pushing for a house bill to put up ‘grain centrals’ in the legislative districts, adding that he will lobby for the National Food Authority to be allowed in buying all types of grains, including corn.
Issues transpired from the forum include the availment of additional post-harvest facilities and access to road connectivity; strengthened linkages between farmers, feed millers, and processors, including the fast-tracking of payments and establishment of buying stations in strategic areas of Bukidnon; and enhanced regulations on corn imports and other raw materials for feeds.
Besides Pilmico, feed millers and processors like CJ Philippines, San Miguel Foods Corporation, and Anakciano Feedmill were also in attendance to pay heed to the concerns raised from different corn clusters and further committed to escalate these to their respective managements.
In response, they recommended to intensify farmers’ adoption of good agricultural practices to ensure quantity and quality production of corn at the same time urged corn clusters to complete all the necessary documents for them to be officially recognized as a legal entity, which could translate to greater marketing prospects.
“We have a line-up of requests for funding under Bayanihan 1 and 2, and we want that whatever we have discussed will be materialized and eventually, be allocated with funds, especially on the corn clusters’ clamor for post-harvest facilities,” Carlene C. Collado, regional executive director of DA-10 said.
The aggie department is set to conduct a meeting with the feed millers and processors to align their yellow corn requirements, including the conduct of a corn quality forum to capacitate the various corn clusters. (JLO, DA-10/PIA Bukidnon)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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