DILIMAN, Quezon City—Harvesting 10 to 13 tons of yellow corn per hectare is now a regular feat for a local farmer in Villaverde, Nueva Vizcaya, thanks to a planting technique that he learned a few years ago.
In the May 21 episode of “Agri Asenso” on DZRH, Cabanayan Farm owner Joel Cabanayan told program host Henry Uri about the double-row planting method that he adopts in his corn plantation. This is done by planting the seeds at 30 centimeters (cm) by 80cm by 20cm distance.
Cabanayan said that he learned this technology from the Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI). This way, he is able to increase production by volume which would otherwise reach up to only 3 to 5 tons as observed in other farms that do not use the said method.
“With this technology, you can reach 10 to 13 tons of harvest [per hectare] provided that you are able to supervise and manage the farm well,” he said.
Aside from the double-row technique, Cabanayan also underscored the importance of using high-quality seeds, including the hybrid, high-population, and pest-resistant varieties. Likewise, he said that planting the seeds requires proper timing which is based on the moisture level of the soil.
The 2015 Gawad Saka awardee also shared his practice in terms of applying fertilizers which involves the combined use of organic and inorganic inputs. He also makes use of machinery from land preparation up to harvesting to ensure good quality of the crops.
At present, yellow corngrains can be sold fresh at Php14.00 to Php15.00 per kilo. Dried corngrains are priced at Php18.00 to Php20.00 per kilo, while corn grits cost Php28.00 to Php30.00 per kilo. Cabanayan said that his harvest usually goes to companies that produce livestock feeds.
According to Cabanayan, sales may reach up to Php70,000.00 with his current production volume. However, he said that pests and diseases tend to hamper his business.
“Corn planthoppers, or what we call “talakitik”, are a real threat to us. Our harvest would decrease by 35 percent per hectare when the planthoppers attack,” he shared.
“Using seeds that are not resistant to fall armyworm can threaten the farmers, too, because the fall armyworm eats the plant even at its early stages,” Cabanayan added.
Despite these challenges, Cabanayan has some words of encouragement to his fellow farmers as he shared some tips on air. He said that keeping the faith, adopting new technologies, being strategic, and being financially secured are important in sustaining one’s farming enterprise.
Cabanayan’s full teleradyo interview can be streamed via the ATI and DZRH Facebook pages.
