ANI to get DA funds for rice-corn blend

PUBLICLY listed Agrinurture Inc. (ANI) said it has secured the commitment of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to fund a project which seeks to promote the rice-corn blend as a healthy alternative to white rice.

ANI said in a statement that the DA will support its proposal to boost corn production and roll out its "Bigma" (Bigas-mais) rice-corn blend project to the local market.

Citing a letter of Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar addressed to ANI president and CEO Antonio Tiu, the firm said the DA is “favorably endorsing and committing funds and technical assistance to make the company’s Bigma project a reality.”

“Your proposal to produce and promote the ‘Bigma (Rice-corn Blend)’ in the Visayas and Mindanao areas, and eventually in other regions of the country, is very laudable. This is a timely initiative as a food resiliency intervention amid this Covid-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] period and beyond,” Dar was quoted as telling Tiu in ANI’S statement.

ANI said aside from the funding support the DA would also instruct its regional field offices to partner for the detail planning and implementation of the firm's proposal. The DA will also collaborate with the National Commission on Indigenous People.

Tiu said the promotion of ricecorn blend would be a “very good substitute” to rice, considering the perennial shortage of the staple in the Philippines, particularly during crises like the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Aside from being healthier and more affordable, corn is cheaper to produce and requires less water to grow compared to rice. With a similar four-month cycle, corn—unlike rice—can be planted anywhere without having to wait for the rainy season,” he said.

“Corn is 20 percent cheaper to produce and easier to grow and scale up since the Philippines lacks good water sources. While corn’s traditional yield is only 3 tons per hectare, ANI plans to use hybrid corn seeds to double the yield,” he added.

The ANI executive said the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic is a "perfect time" to promote the rice-corn blend, which is a Visayan staple, in other areas of country to reduce the Filipinos’ per capita consumption of rice.

“Planting corn for blending purposes with rice will also spur economic activities in areas with lots of idle labor and unirrigated farmlands,” said Tiu.

“ANI is partnering with indigenous peoples to help them plant corn and make their idle labor and lands more productive,” he added.

The company said it recently launched its rice-corn blend product online.