Grains, not rice, for self-sufficiency
Mike Banos
April 08, 2006
Local government should rally behind new Agriculture Sec. Domingo Panganiban?s strategy to address the country?s perennial rice shortage. Rather than import rice and deplete the country?s precious dollar reserves, the new DA head honcho instead advocates increased production of white corn.
Consider Region 10 as a microcosm of the national grains picture. Its combined rice and corn deficit for first two quarters of the year was estimated at 47,184.54 metric tons (MT). Although this shortage is expected to soften as rains and harvests continue in the third quarter, shipments from other regions are still expected to address deficit in the interim. On the other hand, corn production surplus stood at 165,486.74MT.
Compared to other regions, the farm gate price of white corn for the first two semesters (P8.13 and P8.58) compares favorably to that of palay (skin dry) (P9.74 and P10.47). On a national level, white corn is now more expensive than most rice varieties (P24/kg vs P16-22/kg) due to decreasing production and increasing demand as a raw material for corn oil, cornstarch and corn flour, to name a few.
Sadly however, from a traditionally corn grits consuming region not so long ago, the area devoted to white corn in Northern Mindanao has been declining (down 4.16% in the first quarter and 12.32% in the second) compared to the same period a year ago) as has its yield (down 11.85% in the first quarter and 15.0% in the second) compared to 2004, mostly due to farmers shifting to more profitable yellow corn and other hot crops such as bananas, vegetables and watermelon. The dry spell and the increasing cost of inputs also resulted to a decrease in the yield for both yellow and white corn.
So how can local government contribute to restoring the traditional corn grits, locally known as "bugas mais" to its former lofty stature as the equal, if not preferred, staple food for those in Northern Mindanao who can?t afford the pricier varieties of rice and can?t just stomach the taste and smell of the greater bulk of NFA rice?
We understand the LGU of Bukidnon during the time of former Gov. Carlitos Fortich was instrumental in facilitating the construction of silos and other post-harvest facilities for grains. With the infrastructure to process and store bugas mais at the municipal level, it will be a cinch for other LGUs in the region to buy up and store white corn since it doesn?t cost as much as rice to stockpile.
In fact, with the support of LGUs, the NFA in the region could easily encourage the planting of white corn especially during the dry cropping season.
BizLinks Columnist Rey Gamboa says the DA estimates that the country can easily produce an additional 2,000,000 metric tons (MT) of white corn on the estimated 1,000,000 hectares of ricelands which are usually unused from October to April. That?s roughly two cropping cycles for corn already!
Unlike rice, corn does not require that much irrigation and the light rainfall during this season would make white corn an ideal substitute crop for otherwise idle agricultural lands. Better still, the white corn produced from these lands can easily supplant the NFA?s rice imports which has now hit 1.8-million MT or its highest level since 1998 and is costing the country from P12-14 billion in precious foreign exchange every year.
But as usual, that?s easier said than done. DA initially plans to start expansion of areas planted to white corn in Cebu, Davao del Sur and Davao del Norte, North and South Cotabato, Zamboanga del Sur, Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur, Cagayan Valley in Northern Luzon, and in Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental in Region 10.
White corn also faces stiff competition from other crops, especially in Bukidnon where its traditional rivals of rice and sugar are themselves often been crowded out by increasing banana and yellow corn production.
Perhaps the Regional Development Council (RDC) for its next meeting can discuss further ways by which LGUs can help support the DA thrust to bring bugas mais back to its pre-eminent position as the equal, if not superior, of rice as the staple food in Northern Mindanao.
The hour grows late, amigos.
INDNJC-
Consider Region 10 as a microcosm of the national grains picture. Its combined rice and corn deficit for first two quarters of the year was estimated at 47,184.54 metric tons (MT). Although this shortage is expected to soften as rains and harvests continue in the third quarter, shipments from other regions are still expected to address deficit in the interim. On the other hand, corn production surplus stood at 165,486.74MT.
Compared to other regions, the farm gate price of white corn for the first two semesters (P8.13 and P8.58) compares favorably to that of palay (skin dry) (P9.74 and P10.47). On a national level, white corn is now more expensive than most rice varieties (P24/kg vs P16-22/kg) due to decreasing production and increasing demand as a raw material for corn oil, cornstarch and corn flour, to name a few.
Sadly however, from a traditionally corn grits consuming region not so long ago, the area devoted to white corn in Northern Mindanao has been declining (down 4.16% in the first quarter and 12.32% in the second) compared to the same period a year ago) as has its yield (down 11.85% in the first quarter and 15.0% in the second) compared to 2004, mostly due to farmers shifting to more profitable yellow corn and other hot crops such as bananas, vegetables and watermelon. The dry spell and the increasing cost of inputs also resulted to a decrease in the yield for both yellow and white corn.
So how can local government contribute to restoring the traditional corn grits, locally known as "bugas mais" to its former lofty stature as the equal, if not preferred, staple food for those in Northern Mindanao who can?t afford the pricier varieties of rice and can?t just stomach the taste and smell of the greater bulk of NFA rice?
We understand the LGU of Bukidnon during the time of former Gov. Carlitos Fortich was instrumental in facilitating the construction of silos and other post-harvest facilities for grains. With the infrastructure to process and store bugas mais at the municipal level, it will be a cinch for other LGUs in the region to buy up and store white corn since it doesn?t cost as much as rice to stockpile.
In fact, with the support of LGUs, the NFA in the region could easily encourage the planting of white corn especially during the dry cropping season.
BizLinks Columnist Rey Gamboa says the DA estimates that the country can easily produce an additional 2,000,000 metric tons (MT) of white corn on the estimated 1,000,000 hectares of ricelands which are usually unused from October to April. That?s roughly two cropping cycles for corn already!
Unlike rice, corn does not require that much irrigation and the light rainfall during this season would make white corn an ideal substitute crop for otherwise idle agricultural lands. Better still, the white corn produced from these lands can easily supplant the NFA?s rice imports which has now hit 1.8-million MT or its highest level since 1998 and is costing the country from P12-14 billion in precious foreign exchange every year.
But as usual, that?s easier said than done. DA initially plans to start expansion of areas planted to white corn in Cebu, Davao del Sur and Davao del Norte, North and South Cotabato, Zamboanga del Sur, Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur, Cagayan Valley in Northern Luzon, and in Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental in Region 10.
White corn also faces stiff competition from other crops, especially in Bukidnon where its traditional rivals of rice and sugar are themselves often been crowded out by increasing banana and yellow corn production.
Perhaps the Regional Development Council (RDC) for its next meeting can discuss further ways by which LGUs can help support the DA thrust to bring bugas mais back to its pre-eminent position as the equal, if not superior, of rice as the staple food in Northern Mindanao.
The hour grows late, amigos.
INDNJC-
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