First 2,000 hectares by Manny Piñol
Sorghum Contract Growing
Starts In Central Mindanao
Even outside of government, I am pursuing the Sorghum Development Program which I believe would ease the pressure on the livestock, poultry and aquaculture industry because of the high cost of feeds and the unpredicatabiity of the supplies of raw materials.
Starting next month, a small agri-aqua ventures group which I have formed, will engage farmers with areas totaling 2,000 hectares in a contract growing scheme for Sorghum.
The Sorghum seeds from Scott Seeds of Hereford. Texas have arrived and I will be flying to the US this week to finalize the seeds supply agreement between my group of Scott Seeds.
Sorghum is a grass which produces grains with high protein content and is used in the production of animal, poultry and aqua feeds.
When I was Secretary of Agriculture, I reintroduced Sorghum in the Philippines hoping that this would help boost the local poultry, livestock and aqua industries.
A budget of P100-M was allocated to start the program following successful field tests but when I resigned from the Dept. of Agriculture, the funds were realigned to other programs.
Today, as prices of corn and wheat skyrocketed and the supply had become unpredictable, the best option for us is to plant Sorghum.
Under the Contract Growing Scheme which I designed, we will select farmers who are willing to venture into Sorghum farming.
The farmers will be provided with Sorghum seeds payable after while their counterpart would be land preparation, planting and harvesting.
My group will buy the Sorghum produced by the farmers at an agreed price not lower than P12 per kilo which, assuming that his average harvest is 6-metric tons, would earn him a gross of P72,000 per hectare.
The good thing about Sorghum is its ability to survive with less water, the low-cost of seeds and it could harvested three times without replanting.
The additional benefits would be the stalks to be used as animal silage which could provide the farmer an additional income.
This program will be initially concentrated in areas surrounding our small village-level feed mill in Kidapawan City which means that the idea planting areas would be in North Cotabato, Davao Del Sur, Maguindanao, South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat.
An orientation seminar will be conducted before the launching of the program.
#KungGustoMaramingParaan!
#TargetFoodSufficiency!
