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Sunday, January 08, 2006
P1.2B needed for quality corn program
SOME P1.2 billion are needed for the establishment of modern post harvest processing facilities in 30 sites across the country to fully develop a high-quality corn industry, an official said.
Ruby Boligor, representative of the National Agribusiness Corp to the recent GMA Corn Program National Planning and Review Workshop held in nearby Alabel, Sarangani, said the country has insufficient modern post harvest processing facilities that would ensure production of premium quality corn.
"We want to establish corn processing center models that will produce quality corn at 20 parts per billion aflatoxin level," Boligor said.
A published study made by the Bureau of Post-harvest Research and Extension concluded that improper post harvest practices have been blamed to the buildup of molds in corn, which causes aflatoxin.
Corn with very high aflatoxin levels, when fed to animals or humans, could result in biological disorders or even death, the study pointed out.
Boligor said the number of modern post harvest facilities is expected to rise in
at least 10 regions of the country, half of which will be in Mindanao.
The provinces she initially identified in Mindanao are Sarangani , North Cotabato, Zamboanga del Sur, Davao, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Negros Occidental in Visayas, and Mindoro in Luzon.
Estimated cost of setting up a single modern post harvest processing facility is P39 million, which includes equipment, hauling vehicle and management, and administrative costs.
Acknowledging the National Government's fiscal situation though, Boligor stressed, the project will be carried out with the private sector and local government units through a joint venture agreement.
"NABCOR will manage the processing centers," Boligor said.
According to her, putting up a modern post harvest processing facilities in corn producing regions would provide a mechanism that would reduce the cost of corn processing, ultimately benefiting small farmers or even small-and-medium scale corn-based enterprises. (RBS)
(January 2, 2006 issue)
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