ANTIQUE, August 30, 2022 – To streamline corn milling for village-level operation, two farmers’ associations (FAs) from Valderrama, Antique accepted corn mill machines worth Php 820,000. This is in support of their FY 2021 Corn Production Project provided by the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program.

Benefiting from the postharvest technology, the 10 members of Takas Imbanga-an Tangke Irrigators Association (TITIA) and 10 members of Brgy. Takas Farmers Association (BTFA) is expected to increase its production of corn grits, flour, and other corn value-adding products through said equipment.

To further boost income generation, they were provided with corn mills that would help ease their production of corn by-products – for subsistence and enterprise. Compared to the manual mode where they only use mortar and pestle, the mills are suitable for their small-scale processing of all common corn by-products.

With the unexpected price escalation of commodities, including poultry feeds, the assistance put small-scale farmers like them at an advantage. Through SAAD’s provision of agricultural inputs, and the FAs own corn plantation, processing their own feed becomes easier,  equally convenient, and cost-effective.

The feeds they could process can be sold within or even outside their market. Consequently, this income-generating project can help them sustain and expand their partially-established enterprise, likewise, help other raisers in their poultry ventures.

Corn Production Project

Generally, locals of Barangay Takas source their income through farming. Rice is the main crop, however, farmers in the area also grow vegetables, sugarcane, and other root crops.

As a rice-dominated area, the two associations had reservations in venturing to corn production. However, through SAAD’s assistance and the guidance of the Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) of Valderrama, the two associations opted to proceed.

In July 2021, BTFA and TITIA were provided with hybrid corn seeds, inorganic fertilizer, plow, harrow, and corn sheller worth Php 1,326,000. Under the project, the recipients were also upskilled through Corn Production and Enterprise Development training. 

Four months after the distribution, the FAs reported a Php 132,202 gross income with 446 sacks of corn cob harvested from their 10-hectare consolidated production area. Read https://bit.ly/3Kl76ee.

For this year, as requested by the FAs, each received 5 units plow, 5 units harrow, 5 heads caracow, 1 unit hand tractor, and 1 unit corn mill with the addition of 1 unit corn sheller for the TITIA delivered and distributed on May 18 and May 27, all for corn production. 

The said turnover was held at Western Visayas Integrated Agricultural Research Center (WESVIARC), Hamungaya, Jaro, Iloilo witnessed by OIC-APCO Antique Mr. Sonie Guanco, SAAD Technical Staff Ms. Reah Garduce, Area Coordinator Elvin Acosta, RAED Staff Mr. Jayver Dela Cruz, Local Government Unit of Valderrama, and farmer-representatives. 

The two FAs plan to increase their corn grits and flour production to expand the market outside their municipality. ### 

Writer: Cedie Bataga, DA-SAAD 6 Information Officer