DA to establish corn postharvest centers in 2 WV towns
Two corn post harvest processing and trading centers in the Western Visayas will be established this year, disclosed the Department of Agriculture (DA) press office.
According to the DA press office, these corn facilities are in Sara in Iloilo which has a total corn area of 39,510 hectares, and in Sagay City in Negros Occidental with 55,642 hectares of corn fields.
These corn centers along with thirteen (13) other centers across the country is expected to be completed on February 2009, said the DA press report noting that the Agriculture is helping establish the corn postharvest processing and trading centers through the National Agribusiness Corp. (Nabcor).
The undertaking is part of DA initiatives to raise rural incomes and increase corn production by establishing market linkages and reducing postproduction losses for corn farmers, are being set up in partnership with local government units or multipurpose cooperatives in the areas, according to Assistant Secretary Dennis Araullo, the national coordinator of the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA) Corn Program.
Araullo said the corn centers are strategically located within the GMA Corn Program cluster areas or within GMA Corn Program new areas of at least 1,000 hectares, and are accessible to transportation, communications and market centers.
Seven of these centers are located in Luzon; two in the Visayas; and six in Mindanao.
Also, the GMA national coordintaor said the DA and Nabcor will continue investing in these facilities in 2009, with 15 priority sites being targeted.
These priority sites are in Kabankalan, Negros Occidental; Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte; Pangantucan, Bukidnon; Claveria, Misamis Oriental; Tabuk, Kalinga; Sablayan, Mindoro; Bayambang, Pangasinan; Maayon, Capiz; Mexico, Pampanga; and Dumalinao, Zamboanga del Sur. Another five locations are also being considered in Narra and Brooke’s Point in Palawan ; Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay; Tigaon, Camarines Sur; and Gamu, Isabela, the DA press office disclosed. (PIA 6/T.Villavert)