Manila, The Philippines
May 15, 2006
Source:
Sun Star via
Checkbiotech
THE number of farmers planting the
controversial Bt corn, a variety genetically improved to resist
the Asian corn borer, has been steadily rising since its first
commercial release in December 2002 and the upward trend is
expected to continue in the ensuing years.
However, seed producers must make
the cost of the planting materials low and affordable to sustain
the momentum, a nationwide survey conducted by the Biotechnology
Coalition of the Philippines (BCP) revealed.
According to the BCP survey, the number of farmers planting Bt
corn is expected to increase at least 10 times next planting
season.
On the other hand, some Bt corn farmers may no longer plant Bt
corn because of the high cost of planting materials.
Bt corn seeds are currently sold at P4,400 to P4,900 per
18-kilogram bag, approximately twice the price of hybrid corn
seeds that are not induced with the Bacillus thuringiensis,
which makes plant resistant to pest particularly the Asian corn
borer.
This prompted the BCP to recommend making Bt corn more
affordable through innovative finance, marketing and credit
schemes not only to attract non-adoptors but also to maintain
the high percentage of repeat users.
About 11 percent of those who plan to plant Bt corn in the
future may decide otherwise, because of high cost of seeds,
according to the survey.
Farmers who tried planting Bt corn were generally satisfied with
their use of Bt corn because of the protection from corn borer,
increased productivity, and less spraying of insecticide while
those who are not complained about the cost of seeds and
vulnerability to pest other than the corn borer, diseases and
natural calamities.
The survey revealed that farmers who planted Bt corn posted
average yield of at least 13 percent higher than non-Bt corn.
Farmers generally produce 5.1 MT per hectare during dry seasons,
and 4.9 MT per hectare during the wet seasons, which are 15.3
percent and 13.3 percent higher, respectively than those of
non-adoptors, the survey revealed.
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