THE Department of Agriculture (DA) will promote sorghum planting next year to supplement the supply of animal feed, which is currently dependent on yellow corn, Secretary Emmanuel F. Pi帽ol said on Monday.
Mr. Pi帽ol said that the Sorghum Production Program (SPP), which will be led by the DA Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD), will be focused mainly in indigenous people鈥檚 ancestral domain areas, because sorghum grows easily in poor soil.
鈥淭he rapid growth of the poultry and livestock industries has increased demand for yellow corn, pushing prices up,鈥 Mr. Pi帽ol said.
鈥淪AAD will distribute sorghum seeds, including fertilizers, to IP farmers, the value of which will be deducted from the proceeds after harvest to make the program sustainable,鈥 he added.
Mr. Pi帽ol noted that sorghum can be harvested three times a year because its roots can be left below ground while the above-ground parts are harvested, a regeneration strategy known as ratooning.
Last month, Mr. Pi帽ol said that the DA hopes to promote sorghum to augment the supply of pig feeds after the banning the use of food waste from airports and seaports due to outbreaks of African Swine Fever (ASF) in other countries.
鈥淲e also discussed growing other crops with good support from feed milling industry, and sorghum was one of those discussed. We will have a trial in Mindanao right away. The good thing about sorghum is that you can ratoon, which means when you harvest, you do not need to replant,鈥 Mr. Pi帽ol said after meeting representatives of the hog-raising industry. — Reicelene Joy N. Ignacio
