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Yap opens P31M corn facility in Sarangani
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Top officials
attend the blessing rites of the P31-million corn post
harvest facility in Poblacion, Malungon. Walking, from
left, are Sarangani Governor Migs Dominguez, farmer
Ben Figueroa, Malungon Mayor Reynaldo Constantino, Agriculture
Secretary Arthur Yap and Asec. Dennis Araullo. (Photo
by SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/CAS) |
Agriculture
Secretary Arthur Yap formally opened a P31-million post harvest
facility in Poblacion Malungon in Sarangani for planters of
corn, the second largest crop in the province.
“We need more of this processing facility in the country
to increase our corn produce,” Agriculture Secretary
Arthur Yap said.
The
facility was built through the National Agribusiness Corporation
(NABCOR), a government owned and controlled corporation.
The
provincial government put up a counterpart fund of P5 million.
A 4,000 square meter lot was donated by the municipal government
for the project.
Fifty
percent of Sarangani’s total 30,000-hectare corn area
is located in Malungon.
The facility can complete the process of weighing, classifying
and testing, loading, cub drying, shelling, grain drying,
bagging, warehousing, and trading.
“It
will minimize drying cost and risk of corn damage, thereby
minimize losses and produce quality corn,” said Mario
Apurada NABCOR operations manager for Mindanao.
Sarangani
province produces an average of 134,000 metric tons of corn
annually, according to the provincial agriculture office.
“We have increased our production, but what we are targeting
now is to produce quality corn not only for our local markets,”
Governor Migs Dominguez told farmers.
Sarangani
is one of the three pilot areas identified by DA to increase
corn production in Region 12.
Local farmers target at least 50 metric tons of corn to be
processed in the facility this year.
DA officials said the country has to produce six million metric
tons of corn in 2007-2008.
Yap
also turned over a fund of P637,000 for the livelihood enhancement
and display center of Alabel town’s Rural Improvement
Club.
Local
schools and poor households received 61 seed packets while
local farmers got livestock from DA.
With
the efforts of Governor Dominguez, more farm-to-market roads
will be built here by the DA.
The
province’s largest crop is coconut with 76,000 hectares.
(SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/RGP)
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