Cotabato corn farmer harvests 8.76 tons/ha

Top corn farmer Jose F. Lorenzo from Barangay Crossing Rubber, Tupi, South Cotabato owes his outstanding achievement in agriculture to hard work and perseverance, the use of organic fertilizers and higher yield varieties of seed corn.

Lorenzo was conferred the 2001 Gawad Saka Award for Outstanding Corn Farmer after successfully harvesting a record 8,760 kilos of corn from a single hectare of agricultural land. The award, which is endowed by the Department of Agriculture each year, inlcudes a gratuity of P25,000 and the rare distinction of being acknowledged as the most successful in his category.

Not originally from Mindanao, Lorenzo is a Pangasinense who, along with his parents, migrated to South Cotabato in the 1970s. He comes from a family of farmers and he intends to pass the lore and work ethic of an agriculturist to his children.

The awardee attributed the high yield from his farm to his choice of seed corn. Rather than using the traditional varities that produce modest yields and are subject to ravage by nature, Lorenzo chose one of the new varieties of hybrid corn distributed by Pioneer Hi-Bred Phils., Inc.

Aside from providing the seeds, Pioneer Hi-Bred trained Lorenzo and other corn farmers in agricultural techniques and practices to ensure high yield and avert crop failures. Lorenzo said he was able to harvest 8.76 tons from one hectare by applying all the lessons taught by the company.

Impressive as the harvest may be, Lorenzo believes he can do even better in the future. The outstanding farmer intends to use his prize money to improve the productivity of the six-hectare farm that he currently tills. He thinks that a yield of 10 tons from one hectare is not an impossible task.

Lorenzo believes he and his fellow agriculturists can contribute to nation building by sharing their wisdom and experience with other farmers.