CEBU CITY – The Department of Agriculture in Central Visayas (DA-7) on Tuesday said it will seek to boost the production and marketing of cassava and corn in the neighboring province of Negros Oriental.
DA-7 recently convened corn and cassava stakeholders in the province to a production and marketing training in Dumaguete City.
The agriculture department also conducted a market matching between the corn and cassava farmers and buyers where farmers were asked to commit on the volume they can produce and demand for a price based on the suggested retail price of the year.
Sarah Perocho, DA-7's agricultural program coordinating officer for Negros Oriental, said a market matching is needed to help corn and cassava farmers market their produce.
“We need to help them so that they can feel that DA is always behind them, supporting them in all their endeavors," Perocho said in a statement.
According to Rey Liabres Negre, area coordinator and representative of conglomerate San Miguel Corp., their company targets to buy around 3,000 tons of yellow corn for the year 2021 as the demand for animal feeds is increasing.
Nelda Silay, chairperson of San Vicente Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association, a farmers' group in Siaton, Negros Oriental, said they seek to link up with a buyer.
“I always attend training to increase our production and yield. Once we have our buyer, we will no longer worry about how to dispose of our produce. As of now, I have not yet committed as to how many tons of corn I can produce,” Silay said.
Dante Osorio, president of the Kalumbuyan Multipurpose Farmers Association in Bayawan City, Negros Oriental, committed 200 tons of yellow corn which will be available by March 2021.
Adrian Enriquez, assistant city agriculturist of Bayawan City, said the city can produce more than 600 tons of yellow corn, while Bais City shared that they have 55 hectares planted with yellow corn.
On the other hand, the Mabinay Farmer Scientist Organization has committed cassava produce as they have around two hectares planted with the crop. (PNA)
