NEGROS Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. lauded the efforts of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) led by Japhet Masculino after the latter announced a higher corn yield using conventional hybrid seeds during the Corn Field Day and Harvest Festival at the Demo Farm in Paglaum Village, Barangay Mansilingan in Bacolod City on Wednesday, October 17.
The OPA planted TSG 81 or yellow corn variety last week of June at the three-hectare corn demo farm and yielded an average of six to eight tons per hectare, higher than the Open Pollinated Variety (OPV) that they used to produce at three tons per hectare.
The three-hectare corn plantation was harvested using mechanical corn harvester technology and it took them less than half a day to finish the harvest because of the machine’s efficiency.
Provincial corn coordinator Butch Llasos said that this experiment is aimed at showcasing the farmers a higher production using conventional hybrid corn for livestock feeds as well as giving them an opportunity to witness the easy and efficient way of harvesting corn.
Masculino told the farmers after the harvest that they have just witnessed the future of agriculture in the Province of Negros Occidental as it is gradually adopting mechanization because of lack of workers in the farm.
He said that if the farmers would plant conventional hybrid corn in a one-hectare lot, he would at least earn P75, 000 every four months at P15.00 farm gate price.
He also related the inspiring story of one farmer who was able to build his house by planting and selling his alogbati and tugabang to the Negrense Volunteers for Change (NVC) Foundation for their Mingo meals. He encouraged the farmers to be diligent and earn extra income for their families.
Marañon said that he is very happy with the result of the experiment and that this kind of technology will be transferred to the farmers to give them access to higher corn production and bigger income.
A total of 1,000 bags of white flint corn were also turned over to some 27 associations of farmers all over the province.
Also present during the activity were the farmers from different towns and cities, Board Member Salvador Escalante Jr., Nisard head Boyet Uychiat, Agnes Iida, Karen Dinsay, Dina Genzola, Beth Suyod and Armando Abano. (PR)