Philmaize: Corn supply adequate

MANILA, Philippines - Corn producers are assuring adequate corn supply for this year despite the delay in their harvest for the first half of the year.

Roger Navarro of the Philippine Maize Federation (Philmaize), in an interview with The STAR, optimistically projects a 4.8 million metric tons yellow corn harvest for the entire year.

However, Navarro admitted that corn harvest for the first half of the year has been delayed due to delayed planting caused by the drought brought about by the El Niño phenomenon earlier this year.

Navarro estimates that for Mindanao “we will most likely get (yellow corn) 1.8 million metric tons (MMT) total this coming harvest.”

Navarro said that harvesting is starting and will peak early September.

For Region II, Navarro estimates, the harvest “may be around 700,000 MT.”

Based on those numbers, Navarro optimistically assured, “we can surely supply our local demand by then.”

Navarro continued that based on his estimate, the yellow corn harvest for the delayed first half would be 2.6 MMT.

For the second half, Navarro expects a harvest of 2.2 MMT for a total harvest of 4.8 MMT for 2010.

Navarro’s optimistic yellow corn production, he admitted is premised on an increase in planting for the next half.

As such, Navarro is maintaining a total corn production (yellow plus white corn production) for this year to range from a low of six MMT to a high of eight MMT.

The traditional yellow corn production, Navarro said, is between four to five MMT, while white corn production is estimated at between 2 and 3 MMT.

However, earlier this year, Philmaize had set a total corn production of 7.1 MMT, slightly lower than 2009’s 7.3 MMT production.

“What I can only say is that production will just be OK since the demand had not increase plus so much feedwheat came in — the reason why corn price has been steadily low in spite of the recent extended dry climate,” Navarro said.

Navarro is referring to the projected 1.1 MMT feedwheat imports for this year.

Feedwheat is used by feedmillers as an alternative raw material to corn in the production of animal feeds.