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Financial assistance for corn growers in Ilocos Sur assured
By Freddie G. Lazaro

VIGAN CITY (November 28) -- Ilocos Sur Governor Deogracias Victor "DV" B. Savellano has assured financial loan assistance with low interest rates for the provision of the farm inputs for corn growing this season, it was learned.

The governor told on Tuesday that a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the province and the San Miguel Corporation (SMC) was forged recently to establish a ready marketing outlet of corn. The appropriate buying price per kilo of hybrid corn for the farmers to earn a comfortable income is under negotiation.

"A MOA was already signed between the province and SMC, in which the SMC is willing to buy our hybrid corn products. Indeed, we are doing all possible ways, not only on how to develop our corn industry, but even means and remedy on how to increase the price in the market," Savellano said.

The moved the governor made will address the pressing problems aired by the corn farmers during the province-wide corn congress last week at the provincial capitol. These problems include the high prices of farm inputs, lack of capital and unstable buying price of hybrid corn.

The congress, which was initiated by the provincial government, was attended by Gov. Savellano, field technicians and corn production experts from the national and regional agriculture department; financial institutions, corn stakeholders and hundreds corn farmers.

"Our main concern in this corn congress is to look all the alternatives to resolve the problems as well as to improve the production of hybrid corn growing in the province," Savellano said.

"I could not afford that corn farmers will be losing their income in corn growing venture as my priority program is designed for the benefit of our farmers," he added.

He said that the farmers will avail financial loan assistance through the partnership program between the provincial government and the Nueva Segovia Consortium of Cooperatives.

The farmers will apply financial loan assistance with low interest rates at the Nueva Segovia Consortium of Cooperatives.

Records from the Department of Agriculture showed that Ilocos Sur was one of the biggest hybrid corn producing provinces in Northern Luzon.

Provincial Agriculturists Teofilo Quintal reported that more or less 15, 000 farmers will engaged in corn growing this season with a total estimated land area of 14,000 hectares.

The hybrid corn is one of the best 11 cash crops being campaign by Governor Savellano for farmers to plant in the marginal areas that are not suitable for tobacco growing.

Oscar Tobia, Ilocos Sur's corn production coordinator, cited the use of new technologies in corn growing will increase the quality and quantity in crop production.

"The occurrences and use of modern technology totally increase the productivity of corn in terms of quality and quantity" Tobia.

Farmer Nestor Urbien, the Federated Vice President of Corn Growers Association of Ilocos Sur, lauded the effort of Governor Savellano in strengthening the corn industry in the province.

"In behalf of the corn farmers in the province, I wish to express our gratitude to Governor Savellano for his initiatives and concern in our corn industry," Urbien said.

Urbien cited that the congress was the best venue to present their problems in corn production as stated earlier.

"We are not only presenting our problems in corn growing but we are also learning new technologies from the corn production experts who are speakers during the congress.

Urbien, 47, suggested a regulated floor price of P9.00 per kilogram of hybrid corn in order for them to come up with the high production cost in corn growing.

Today, Urbien disclosed that the production cost on corn production to include the cost of fertilizers, crude oil or gasoline, insecticides and hired labors was already reached up to P25,000 per hectare with an average yield of 5.5 tons per hectare. (PIA Ilocos Sur)

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