Cebu Province is seeking to expand its corn industry and become a top corn-producing province under Gov. Pamela Baricuatro to boost farmers' income, livelihood opportunities, and food security.
The Department of Agriculture reported that Cebu recorded the largest corn area in Central Visayas with 49,957 hectares, supported by the Provincial Government's Sugbo Maisan program.
The Provincial Government plans to establish a Cebu Mega Food Hub occupying five to six hectares of the Balili property in the City of Naga with a proposed P1 billion Department of Agriculture allocation.
CEBU Province is seeking to expand its corn industry and become one of the country’s top corn-producing provinces as part of Gov. Pamela Baricuatro’s push to strengthen agriculture and improve farmers’ livelihoods.
Baricuatro said the plan is not only to increase corn production but also to provide farmers with higher income, more livelihood opportunities and more stable sources of income.
She emphasized the need to improve farmers’ access to markets and provide adequate post-harvest facilities to help them store and sell their produce.
Cebu recorded the largest corn area in Central Visayas, with 49,957 hectares, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA). Southern Cebu accounted for 10,948 hectares, followed by Northern Cebu with 10,444 hectares. Camotes recorded 2,415 hectares, while Bantayan Island had 1,775 hectares.
DA also reported that Central Visayas is the fourth largest corn program implementation in 2024. The Provincial Government’s Sugbo Maisan program has played a key role in boosting yellow corn production in the province, the DA said.
Sugbo Maisan helped farmers transition to corn cultivation after the closure of some local sugar mills by providing seeds, fertilizers, technical assistance and access to facilities such as corn-drying centers.
The DA said Sugbo Maisan helped farmers transition to corn cultivation after the closure of some local sugar mills by providing seeds, fertilizers, technical assistance and access to facilities such as corn-drying centers.
Mega Cebu Hub
One of the proposed measures is the establishment of a Mega Food Hub, which is expected to provide facilities for the storage, processing and distribution of agricultural products and connect farmers with potential buyers.
The Cebu Mega Food Hub is a planned large-scale food storage, post-harvest, trading and distribution facility of the Provincial Government in the City of Naga. It is intended to address Cebu’s lack of adequate post-harvest and cold-storage infrastructure, reduce food losses and improve farmers’ access to markets.
The Provincial Government has decided to keep the food hub at the Balili property in Naga, even as other portions of the original development plan are being reconsidered. Baricuatro said its location is advantageous because of its proximity to agricultural production areas in southern Cebu and a nearby port.
The planned hub is expected to occupy about five to six
hectares of the Balili property. The project has been reported to have a proposed P1 billion allocation from the Department of Agriculture and is undergoing feasibility work before construction.
On the other hand, Baricuatro called on the Philippine Maize Federation Inc., Department of Agriculture, private sector and farmers to work with the Provincial Government to develop the province’s corn industry.
She said the initiative is part of the Provincial Government’s efforts to strengthen food security while creating better economic opportunities for local farmers. / ANV
