Garcia wants to expand corn program

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CEBU CITY — With barely a month remaining in her term as Cebu governor, Gwendolyn Garcia has urged mayors in northern Cebu to institutionalize the provincial capitol-led "Sugbo Maisan" (Cebu corn) program by passing local ordinances that would sustain and expand yellow corn production in the province.

Garcia met with mayors at the capitol to reaffirm support for the corn initiative, which was first implemented in Medellin in 2022 to encourage the cultivation of yellow corn amid rising market demand.

The meeting was attended by mayors Jojo Solante of Tudela, Al Arquillano of San Francisco, Winky Santiago of Pilar, Gary Rama of Poro, Carlo Martinez of Bogo City, Mariano Martinez of San Remigo and Allan Sesaldo of Argao.

Also present was Department of Agriculture-Central Visayas executive director Angel Enriquez.

During the meeting, the local officials committed to institutionalizing Sugbo Maisan in their respective towns through local ordinances and forming a unified organization to strengthen their bargaining power with institutional buyers.

The Sugbo Maisan program promotes inter-local government collaboration by providing farmers with seeds, fertilizers, technical assistance, and post-harvest facilities.

On Nov. 28, 2024, Garcia visited a 910-square-meter capitol-owned site in Barangay Mercedes, Poro, where a corn-drying facility is set to rise as part of the program.

Earlier on May 21, 2024, Garcia met with 450 landowners and farmers in Pilar and encouraged them to shift to yellow corn production.

The provincial capitol offered to facilitate loan applications with a two percent interest rate at Land Bank of the Philippines or zero interest through the Cooperative Bank of Cebu.

The provincial agriculture office said at least 20 institutional buyers have partnered with the provincial government, with a combined annual demand of 426,400 metric tons of yellow corn.

These include San Miguel Foods Corp., Prifoods Corp., Universal Feed Mill Corp., Vienovo Philippines Inc., General Milling Corp., Pilmico Feeds, and the Central Visayas Pork Producers Cooperative.

A corn-drying facility worth P5.9 million is currently under construction in Medellin. It features four 15-ton dryers and covers 428 square meters.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed Cebu produced 57,327 metric tons of corn in 2023, up from 49,124 metric tons in 2022.

Of that, 1,367 metric tons was yellow corn, an increase from 1,041 metric tons in 2022. White corn, largely consumed by people, dominated harvests at 55,960 metric tons.

Yellow corn, primarily used for animal feed and industrial products, was harvested from 376 hectares in 2023, while white corn was cultivated on 59,649 hectares.

The total harvested corn area slightly declined from 60,975 hectares in 2022 to 56,649 hectares in 2023.

Garcia, however, said that expanding the Sugbo Maisan program across the province would not only sustain local agriculture but also provide a stable market for farmers.