Agri Dept. says PHL achieved corn self-sufficiency in 2013

The Department of Agriculture on Wednesday claimed the Philippines attained self-sufficiency in corn last year, primarily due to high-yielding seed varieties and new technology that also brought about up to P60 billion in total savings from imports since 2010.

 

Agriculture Assistant Secretary and concurrent National Corn Program director Edilberto de Luna said in an e-mailed statement the Philippines met the self-sufficiency levels "for corn of the local feed and livestock industry" based on market demand in 2013.

 

De Luna said high-yielding seeds and new technology increased corn production from 3.4 metric tons per hectare (MT/ha.) to 4.2 MT/ha. in the past few years, which helped the Philippines save more than P60 billion in corn imports from 2010 to 2013.

 

“We used to import P28 billion worth of corn every year but last year we were almost sufficient.  That means we saved more than P60 billion in three years,” he said.

 

While the total corn stock inventory, currently at 268,000 metric tons, reflected a 27.3-percent decrease as of May 1, 2014, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority indicated that it increased by 16.2 percent compared to May 2013's record of 230,800 metric tons, the department said.

 

Corn stocks in the National Food Authority's depositories also grew to 660,000 MT this year compared with 240,000 MT in 2013.

 

Meanwhile, households stocks grew by 73.1 percent from last year.

 

Commercial warehouses accounted for 64.9 percent of total corn stock inventory this month, while households were holding 32.6 percent and NFA depositories were keeping 2.5 percent. 

 

In 2013, the department declared the Philippines would achieve its goal of self-sufficiency despite the damage caused by various typhoons. 

 

The production in 2013 was expected to reach 8.2 million MT, up 10 percent from 7.408 million MT in 2012, which will make the Philippine self-sufficient in corn by year-end with a surplus estimated between 150,000 MT and 200,000 MT. – Rie Takumi/VS, GMA News