Organic fertilizer shows promise for corn yields

DAVAO CITY: An organic fertilizer developed by Filipino scientists is demonstrating its potential to increase yields of corn in Central Mindanao.

By combining the ADV- MaisDoble variety of hybrid seeds and Masinag Organic Farming Technology fertilizer, two young farmers in Central Mindanao are expecting gross earnings at least twice that of other corn farmers in the region.

From less than one hectare in his four- hectare cornfield, Alvin Almendras of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, harvested on August 3 an initial haul of over 200 bags of corn ears.

Technicians monitoring the harvest project between 14 and 15 tons per hectare in average yield of unshelled corn from the Almendras farm.

Gloria Elicano of Sto. Niño, South Cotabato, was able to harvest from her 5.25-hectare corn land some 1,055 sacks, estimated at 12.05 metric tons (MT) per hectare.

Harvests from the Elicano farm are almost triple the average yield of yellow corn in Mindanao last year, which was pegged by government statisticians at 4.4 metric MT/ hectare. In addition, Elicano’s figures are almost four times the national average of 3.3 MT/ hectare posted by the Philippine Statistics Authority for the first quarter of 2018.

Almendras, also a councilor of Sta. Cruz, said he converted part of his family’s banana plantation into a cornfield only this cropping season after making extensive research.

“I arrived at the conclusion that corn can be the best cash crop in Mindanao due to shortages of corn supply for the feed millers,” he said.

“As far as I know, I’m the first farmer in the Davao region who has boldly shifted from banana to corn farming,” he added.

The councilor also attributed his greater yield to Oliver Herradura of Victa Agritech Central, who introduced him to the cutting- edge farming practices used in his new corn land, including the use of the Masinag organic fertilizer.

“The more important development related to the experiences in the Almendras and Elicano farms is that we have had consistent results of harvesting at least 12 tons per hectare although soil conditions are varied,” Herradura said.

Herradura also noted that while ADV- MaisDoble variety of hybrid seeds did have some effect, the use of the Masinag organic fertilizer further enhanced yield.

Almendras said he was very happy with using Masinag organic fertilizer, which contains none of the toxic chemicals of regular chemical fertilizers.