DA 12 launches corn techno showcase

By Shahana Joy E. Duerme

Friday 27th of July 2012

KORONADAL CITY, July 27 (PIA) -- The Department of Agriculture (DA 12) launched corn techno showcase or corn derby on July 23 in Barangay Malungon, Sarangani Province as part of the department’s initiative in promoting corn in the market.

According to Central Mindanao Integrated Agricultural Research Center (CEMIARC) Head, Lorna Vilbar, the demonstration of modern technology in corn production is very important because it will help farmers grow healthy plants which will result to better harvest.

A hectare of land was used for the techno demo where hybrid and open pollinated variety of corn were planted.

“The Department of Agriculture 12 will supply corn planting materials and inputs like fertilizers and pesticides to the farmers to further enhance corn production in Region 12” Vilbar added.

Meanwhile, GenSan-Sarangani Agricultural Program Coordinating Officer Joy Misterio said, corn farmers should undergo trainings in corn production in order to apply new technology to improve their production.

The said techno demo is second in the region since it first started on July 12 in Banga, South Cotabato.

Private seed companies like ACM Genetics, Pioneer, Syngenta and Evogen are the partners of DA 12 in this project aimed at uplifting the income of corn farmers.

According to the data from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, this year, SOCCSKSARGEN region ranked 3rd in the whole country contributing 16.70% or 1, 169,817 metric tons of corn to the national corn production. (SJDuerme-PIA 12/PDRana-DA 12)