Provincial Agriculturist Gregorio Paltinca said the province successfully tried the genetically modified seeds two years ago in Siaton but farmers there preferred to eat the white corn variety rather than the genetically modified yellow corn.

Paltinca said, however, that the yield was excellent since it produced at least six tons per hectare.

Farmers admitted that the genetically modified seeds command a very high price, which prompted them to plant the yellow corn variety.

But the GMO seeds are no longer used in the province, Provincial Agriculture Office said.

Board Member and NISARD vice president Henry Pryde Teves said they have tried using the GMO corn seeds in Tayasan. The harvest was very lucrative but it destroyed the indigenous corn variety, he said. Teves said they observed that during pollination, GMO corn dominates and indigenous or local corn cannot bear fruit.

He said the Oriental Negros and Negros Occidental provinces have to be ready in banning the GMO since it would surely be a big challenge. He said there are some farmers in the island who are being consigned by multi-national companies producing GMO seeds.

Officials of the Negros provinces are asking the assistance and expertise of Greenpeace to identify the seeds which are genetically modified and those which are indigenous.

The two provinces are now formulating an ordinance strongly banning the GMO seeds, as this will affect their organic farming campaign.

Meanwhile, Department of Agriculture director Silvino Tejada said he expected the two provinces to be the country's leading producer of organic products.

Tejada, who represented Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap at the 2nd Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival, assured the continuous technical and logistical support of the department in achieving the vision of an organic farming capital of the country.

He said the department considers Negros island as one of its major partners in the Agri-Kalikasan program which promotes safe and judicious use of chemical fertilizer.

This is found in the department's "Tipid-Abono" system in recycling and composting.

Tejada said several techno-demonstration farms have been established in Oriental Negros. The joint efforts have paid off, and produced encouraging results in terms of income and increase in the production of organic crops.

With organic farming, farm soil is rejuvenated and enriched with organic nutrients, he said.

This year, the DA has promised to establish additional 100 hectares of techno-demo farm, particularly in the municipality of Zamboanguita.

With increased hectarage of agri-Kalikasan farms, more farmer participants are encouraged. The DA intends to expand the program to 37 municipalities nationwide, Tejada said.*

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