Concerns of corn farmers highlighted at the 17th Corn Congress

Four years after the pandemic, the Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the Philippine Maize Federation Inc. (PhilMaize) and other relevant agencies, hosted the 17th Philippine National Corn Congress on October 24-25, 2024.

Hundreds of corn growers and stakeholders came together to develop concrete, comprehensive, and inclusive plans aimed to address various challenges facing the corn industry, such as low productivity, low corn prices, limited access to modern farming technologies, and insufficient post-harvest handling and storage infrastructure.

This year’s theme, “Maunlad na Maisan, Tungo sa Matatag na Bagong Pilipinas,” emphasizes the need for a unified approach and policies among stakeholders and policymakers to help the corn industry achieve its goals.

“As we celebrate the 17th year of conducting the National Corn Congress, we hope to strengthen the partnership between the private and the public sectors. The role of PhilMaize in pursuit of strengthening corn clusters is imperative,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a statement read by DA Regional Field Office V-Field Operations Division Chief Earl Vincent P. Vegas during the opening of the 17th National Corn Congress on October 24, 2024

The Secretary stressed that the Department recognizes the relevance of corn and cassava, which is why the DA has been continually pushing for advancements in these commodities.

Sec. Tiu Laurel added that the DA has launched the Corn Production Enhancement Project to support farmers. It aims to boost corn productivity, increase income, and enhance national corn sufficiency.

“The project provides seeds and fertilizers to eligible farmers, and as of August 2024, we have distributed over 1,700 metric tons of corn seeds and nearly 2.9 million cassava seed pieces, along with almost 6,000 metric tons of fertilizers,” Sec. Tiu Laurel said.

For 2025, the Department, through the National Corn Program, plans to allocate 5.31 billion pesos for high-quality planting materials, fertilizers, training, postharvest machinery, and small-scale irrigation projects. The program aims to boost production of quality corn, cassava, sorghum, and soybean for food,