Amid a slowdown in the local yellow corn trade in Romblon, the Bonlao Corn Growers Association (BCGA) in Barangay Bonlao turned a potential setback into an opportunity. The group earned Php 45,079 from the sale of 598 sacks of corn stalks with corn, with a total weight of 15,026 kilograms.
The harvest came from the association’s 7,000-square-meter communal farm, where members planted 27 kilograms of hybrid yellow corn seeds in December 2025.
Legacy Corporation purchased the produce and directly handled the harvesting. The company’s employees brought their own shredder machine, which reduced the farmers’ expenses and physical workload. This arrangement allowed the association to save on labor costs and post-harvest processing.
According to the association, the direct market linkage was a major relief, especially as the local yellow corn trade slowed due to concerns over African Swine Fever (ASF). With a sure buyer, the group avoided the usual difficulty of marketing their harvest. Members also shared that their income for this cropping season was higher than in previous cycles.
The association expressed its gratitude to the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development Program for its continued support and technical guidance, including specialized training on corn production. They also thanked the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist for its assistance throughout the production cycle.
“Malaki po ang naitulong ng Special Area for Agricultural Development o SAAD sa aming samahan. Dahil sa kanilang ibinigay na inputs at teknikal na gabay, naging maayos ang aming produksyon, tumaas ang aming ani, at nadagdagan ang aming kaalaman sa tamang pagtatanim ng mais,” said Pres. Antonino Agascon.
(The Special Area for Agricultural Development, or SAAD, has greatly helped our association. Because of the inputs and technical guidance they provided, our production became well-managed, our harvest increased, and our knowledge on the proper planting of corn was enhanced.)
Prior to this successful harvest, BCGA faced several challenges, including the effects of El Niño in 2023, Fall Armyworm (FAW) infestation, and typhoon damages in 2024. Despite these setbacks, the group remained committed, crediting the sustained interventions and guidance from the SAAD Program and the OPAg for helping them recover and improve their production practices.
“Plano po namin na maglaan ng bahagi ng kita bilang revolving fund para may magamit sa susunod na taniman. Susundin din namin ang tamang teknolohiya sa pagtatanim at palalakasin ang partisipasyon ng mga miyembro,” shared Agascon.
(We plan to allocate a portion of the income as a revolving fund so that we will have capital to use for the next planting. We will also follow the proper planting technology and strengthen the participation of the members.)
Following the harvest, BCGA immediately began preparing their land for the next cropping of yellow corn to secure another production cycle and support the livelihoods of its members.
