Being strategic is one characteristic a good farmer must possess.
Two farmers from Nampicuan in Nueva Ecija each have their own strategy for harvesting corn. Both share the same goal of improving their lives, yet they took different paths to get there. Despite the challenges in farming, they showed that with hard work, perseverance, proper support, and the right strategy, success is still possible.
Lourdes Galang and Johny Mariñas, both members of the Cabawangan Corn Farmers Association, are known for earning the highest income from their corn harvests. Lourdes is recognized for her resourcefulness despite a shortage of man-power, while Johny is known for his careful planning to maximize profits from his harvest.
For Lourdes, the biggest challenge was the lack of corn pickers. Instead of letting her harvest go to waste, she decided to sell it fresh. She harvested 180 sacks of corn, each weighing 45.76 kg, and sold it at Php 12.80 per kilo. This gave her a gross income of Php 110,700. After deducting her expenses, she earned a net income of Php 81,700.
“Hindi ko na pinatagal ang ani kasi mahirap talagang humanap ng tagapitas. Sa halip na masayang lang, ibinenta ko na ng basa para may mapala pa rin. Hindi na ako nag upa ng tao kaya ‘yong gastos ko ay hindi na rin nadagdagan,” she shared.
(I didn’t wait too long to sell the harvest because it’s really hard to find pickers. Rather than waste it, I sold it fresh so I could still earn something. I didn’t have to hire workers, so my expenses also didn’t increase.)
Meanwhile, Johny chose to wait and go through a longer process. After harvesting 165 sacks of corn, each weighing 64.36 kg, he decided to dry the corn for eight days. He knew dry weight fetched a higher price, even with additional drying costs. In the end, his efforts paid off and he sold it at Php 17.80 per kilo earning a gross income of Php 185,849 and a net income of Php 145,249.
“May dagdag gastos sa pagpapatuyo pero sulit naman dahil mas mataas ang presyo ng dry weight. Sa huli, mas malaki ang naiuwi kong kita,” he said.
(There were extra expenses for drying, but it was worth it because the price for dry corn is higher. In the end, I brought home a bigger income.)
Their journey was not easy. Both faced threats from fall armyworms which damaged their crops. Fortunately, they were able to spray pesticides right away, which prevented the pests from spreading.
“Kung hindi kami agad nakapag-spray, baka wala kaming aanihin,” they said.
(If we hadn’t sprayed immediately, we might not have had anything to harvest.)
They also emphasized how helpful the training sessions on proper corn farming were. Because of their familiarity with pests, they were able to act quickly and apply effective solutions.
Amid all these, they are both grateful for the government’s support, particularly the SAAD Program, which provided free seeds and fertilizers significantly reducing their costs.
“Mahal talaga ang binhi at abono. Pero dahil sa tulong ng DA-SAAD, lumiit ang gastos at lumaki ang kinita. Malaking bagay ito para sa aming maliliit na magsasaka,” Lourdes said.
(Seeds and fertilizer are really expensive. But thanks to DA-SAAD’s help, our expenses were reduced and our income increased. That means a lot for small farmers like us.)Different strategies, one goal. The stories of Lourdes and Johny prove that there is no absolute way to farm. What makes the goal possible are the collective dedication and strategy, partnered with a healthy government support. From fresh weight to dry weight, every grain is a product of hard work and hope. ###
