Growing Our Own!

Sorghum Contract Farming
To Cut Reliance On Imports

The private sector-led Sorghum Development Program aimed at gradually reducing the country’s dependence on imported grains for Aqua, Poultry and Livestock Feeds, will start initially in 2,000-hectares in North Cotabato Province by next month.

The program is expected to produce a modest 3,000-metric tons of Sorghum monthly which will be sold to small feed mill companies reeling from the very high prices of imported Wheat and Corn.

Every year, the Philippines imports 7.5-million metric tons of Wheat and over 700,000 metric tons of corn both for food and feeds.

As the supply and prices of Wheat and Corn had become unpredictable, Sorghum presents a good option for local feed millers for protein-rich grains in the production of feeds.

Sorghum Hybrid Seeds from Scott Seeds Company of Hereford, Texas had arrived in the country last week and these are now stored in a cold storage facility to maintain its fertility.

Next week, a model farm of 8 hectares will be established in Makilala, North Cotabato to serve as the learning site for farmers interested to plant Sorghum.

Sorghum experts from Scott Seeds Company are expected to conduct lectures next month on the proper planting and propagation of this under-rated feed grains which could boost our Aqua, Poultry and Livestock Industry.

Starting July, 500 hectares will be planted every month under a Custom and Contract Growing Program where farmers will be assisted in the planting and harvesting and assured of a farm gate price.

Since Sorghum, which matures in 105 days and resistant to long dry spell, could be harvested three times with just one seeding because of its Ratooning capability, farmers will spend less in land preparation and seeds.

The first 2,000 hectares of Sorghum farms will be located mainly in North Cotabato and the nearby provinces with a targeted expansion area of 100,000 hectares over the next five years.

The Sorghum Development Program was actually started when I was Secretary of Agriculture and, following a series of field trials, allocated a budget of P100-M in 2019.

When I left the DA, however, the Sorghum Program budget which was supposed to buy seeds, was realigned to other programs with a small portion of it left for patches of Sorghum farms in several regions.

Without a sustained production volume and supply, however, feed mills will not be inclined to buy Sorghum because it would entail a constant reformulation of their feeds.

The Contract/Custom Growing Program for Sorghum which will be implemented will assure interested feed mills with a sustained supply and stable prices.

KungGustoMaramingParaan!

farmingisloveandpassion!

(Photos show the Sorghum field trials in 2018 and the transfer of the newly-arrived seeds from the cargo truck to a cold storage facility.)