CEBU Governor Gwendolyn Garcia urged the farmers in Pilar town, Camotes Island to plant yellow corn, which is now in demand in the market.
This was announced by Garcia during a consultative assembly attended by 450 landowners and farmers at the municipal gym on Tuesday, May 21, 2024.
The governor explained that planting yellow corn is more suitable for the constituents in the area because it can be grown throughout the year and requires little irrigation.
The governor promised to help the farmers who want to shift to planting corn.
Those interested can borrow money from the Land Bank of the Philippines, which offers two percent interest rate, or Cooperative Bank of Cebu, which has zero interest rate.
The Capitol, on their partial endorse the farmers’ applications for fast processing and release of their loans through the Enhanced Countryside Development (ECD) program of the Capitol.
Also present during the meeting were Pilar Mayor Manuel Santiago, councilors, Cebu 5th district Board Member Red Duterte and officials from the Department of Agriculture and Philippine Crop Insurance Corp.
Garcia stressed that there are many companies that are interested in buying corn.
According to the data from the Provincial Agriculture Office, at least 20 institutional buyers that have partnered with the Capitol have gathered demand for yellow corn totaling 426,400 metric tons annually.
These institutional buyers that use corn ingredients to produce feeds, chips and other products include, among others, Prifoods Corp., Universal Feed Mill Corp., San Miguel Foods Corp., Vienovo Philippines Inc., General Milling Corp., Pilmico Feeds and Central Visayas Pork Producers Cooperative.
“Akong hagit ninyo, lihok mo. Paningkamot gyod mo. Kay ako maningkamot sad ko nga monindot inyong kinabuhi,” Garcia said through Sugbo News, the Capitol’s online news portal.
The initiative, called Sugbo Maisan, was first implemented in Medellin town in 2022. (ANV, TPT)