Assessment of the corn industry in Nueva Ecija

This study aimed to analyze the current status of the corn industry in Nueva Ecija, its potential for growth, the directions of the current policies and programs, and the problems that should be looked into. The assessment was focused on the situation of the corn industry in Nueva Ecija in terms of production, processing, stakeholders, support services and marketing involved in the industry. The findings of the study showed that the strongest subsystems in corn were production and stakeholders subsystems. The weakest subsystems were processing and marketing subsystems. In the production subsystem, many farm lands in Nueva Ecija are suitable for corn farming. Those may be maximized by developing the rest for corn farming. With regard to the farmer-producers, they have positive attitude toward corn production although they have inadequate corn farming inputs despite support from different government and private sectors. Moreover, funding institutions and cooperatives have been established to strengthen and boost corn farmers in their needs. R and D agencies are also present in the province to generate new technologies particularly on harvest and post-harvest to help the corn industry to attain its optimum growth. However, the corn industry in Nueva Ecija is weakest in processing and marketing. Corn processing is done mostly outside of Nueva Ecija implying that the demand (from manufacturers) for raw materials (corn) comes from the processors or manufacturers of feeds, corn oil, corn starch and corn chips located outside Nueva Ecija. Demands for corn produce come mostly from the traders and buyers from surrounding provinces even though the supply of corn produce comes from 28 towns of the province. High competition between corn farmers and traders was noted. The price of corn produce is controlled and dictated by outside traders and buyers. This leaves the farmers no choice but to sell their harvest even if the price is too low. The corn industry in Nueva Ecija suffers from different problems and constraints that directly affect its growth. The problems cited by the farmers were: (1) occurrences of calamities; (2) high input cost; (3) credit institutions' requirements for loaning; (4) traders control of price; (5) inadequate infrastructure for corn growers; (6) inadequate information dissemination regarding corn technology; (7) farmers' traditional attitude toward corn farming; and (8) weak management and operation of cooperatives. The following recommendations were suggested by the farmer-respondents: (1) The Department of Agriculture should strengthen the GMA Corn Program and increase its seeds and fertilizers subsidies; (2) The provincial government specifically the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist should draft and establish realistic and holistic policy programs and institutional support for the corn industry of Nueva Ecija with corresponding adequate funds; (3) Investors/Businessmen should be encouraged to establish feed mills to create demand and improve accessibility for marketing of corn; and (4) Marketing network with both local and outside traders should also be established.