Syngenta invests $8 million in Pangasinan seed processing plant

Multinational biotechnology firm Syngenta has invested $8 million to put up the Asian region’s most state-of-the-art seed processing plant in Binalonan, Pangasinan that should help beef up Philippines’ corn sufficiency.

Syngenta Philippines launched Tuesday the corn seed processing plant that is also the first of its kind in the Philippines.

The construction of the plant is also in line with government’s thrust to invest in infrastructure and post harvest facilities which should have a wider impact in raising farmers’ income and reducing poverty.

“Syngenta put it up first here because it’s a really needed facility. It’s the latest of its kind in Asia. We’re using high-tech, computerized equipment for drying, shelling, and conditioning,” said Recher Ondap, Syngenta country head for seeds.

The plant has a capacity to process 2,000 metric tons (MT) of hybrid corn seeds per year. It will serve the Luzon market as majority of the Philippines’ corn production comes from Region 2 (Isabela, Cagayan).

While processing time normally needs 72 hours, processing time in this plant may be cut down by 15 to 20 percent.

The plant is giving employment to 150 people and should help raise income of farmers by making available to them hybrid corn seeds that can double their yield from around five MT per hectare.

“This will contribute significantly to the economy of Pangasinan. They can get seeds that are newly-harvested, has excellent germination potential and are well-suited to local conditions. In this way, Syngenta also contributes towards the food security goals of the Philippines,” Ondap said.

The seed processing plant should also raise biotechnology propagation potentials in the country as Syngenta is one of the world’s foremost movers in genetic modification of feed crops. The company looks forward to integrating into future hybrid corn varieties important GM traits that will raise farmers’ yield and income. These are resistance to the Asiatic corn borer, herbicide resistance, and resistance to other pests as the earworm. It has also been developing hybrid corn varieties that are location-specific or designed particularly for Isabela or Pangasinan.

“(To be) the leader of our region, (we need) to examine and adopt biotechnology. We believe a wide range of solutions will improve farmers’ income, and consequently raise local, regional, and national income,” Ondap said.

Dalisay Moya, Pangasinan provincial agriculturist, said hybrid corn has become popular among farmers in Pangasinan with adoption reaching to as much as 70 percent of all corn land.