Due to huge cornick demand, DA allots funds for better white corn

The Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Thursday that it will be allocating funds for the improvement of the quality of white corn, due to the huge demand for cornick (corn nuts) by Filipinos in and out of the country.

“Gusto ko lang pong ipaalam din na hindi natin maa-attain ang food grade ng mais kung napabayaan natin ang post-harvest facilities," DA Secretary Proceso Alcala said during the 11th National Corn Congress and the 3rd National Quality Corn Achievers Awards held in Angeles City, Pampanga with the theme "Moving Forward, Enhancing Competitiveness: Philippine Corn towards ASEAN Integration.”

Alcala proposed the use of cob dryers, instead of the traditional sun-drying, to avoid aflatoxins.

"With the use of corn in a cob dryer, wala pong aflatoxin na namumuo sa ating mga mais. Ito po ang malaking tulong ng ating pamahalaan sa ating magsasaka and that is why nakakapag-demand sila ng mas mataas na presyo at nagkakaroon ng food-grade na mais sa ating bansa,” Alcala said.

Alcala added that local corn growers, as well as the DA, are pressing for the liberalization of the local supply so that the process of exporting will be swift in the case of excess supply.

National Corn Achievers Awards

Ilocos Sur, Nueva Vizcaya, Agusan del Norte, Isabela and Occidental Mindoro will be honored at the National Quality Corn Achievers Awards this year, Agriculture Assistant Secretary and concurrent National Corn Program Coordinator Edilberto de Luna said.

Isabela and Occidental Mindoro will enter the Hall of Fame, having won for three consecutive years.

According to De Luna, the award recognizes corn quality—not the amount of corn produced, but the efficiency of the production system in attaining good quality corn.

Winners in the outstanding province category will each receive P3 million, while the Hall of Famers will get P5 million each, which will be used for projects that aim to further improve the corn sector.

Besides the five outsanding provinces, there are also three outstanding provincial agriculturists, four outstanding provincial corn program coordinators, 25 outstanding municipalities and cities, 23 outstanding municipal agriculturist, 17 municipal corn program coordinators, and 100 agricultural extension workers to be recognized.

Eleven farmers will be given by the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standards as Good Agricultural Practice certifications, and outstanding corn clusters will be honored during the awarding as well. — Jessica Bartolome/BM, GMA News