The Department of Agriculture in Central Visayas (DA7) recently conducted a production and marketing training for the Corn and cassava stakeholders in Negros Oriental.
The training held in Dumaguete City was aimed to enhance the stakeholders’ skills in production and marketing of cassava and corn.
A market matching was also held 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 (SRP) of the year.
Sarah Perocho, DA7’s Agricultural Program Coordinating Officer (DA7-APCO) for Negros Oriental said that a market matching is needed to help the 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.
According to Rey Liabres Negre, the Area Coordinator and representative of San Miguel Corp, (SMC), 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 (SAVARBA)-a farmers group in Siaton, Negros Oriental said that they join the training to be able to link with a buyer.
“Sige ko attend ug mga trainings aron motaas among abot ug kita. Unya, if naa na mi buyer, di na mi magworry sa amo abot unsaon namo pagdispose. Sa pagkakaron wa sa ko mo-commit pila ka toneladas nga mais,” Silay said.
(I always attend trainings inorder to increase our production and yield. Once we have our buyer, we will no longer worry on how to dispose our produce. As of now, I have not yet committed as to how many tons of corn I can produce).
Dante Osorio, President of the Kalumbuyan Multipurpose Farmers Association (KAMULFA) in Bayawan City, Negros Oriental committed 200 tons of yellow corn which will be available by March 2021.
Adrian Enriquez, the assistant City Agriculturist said that they (Bayawan City) can produce more than 600 tons of yellow corn, while the Local Government Unit of Bais City (LGU-Bais City) shared that they have 55 hectares planted with yellow corn.
On the other hand, the Mabinay Farmer Scientist Organization (MAFSO) has committed cassava since they have around 2 hectares planted with cassava. # # # (DA-RFO VII, RAFIS)
