Two family-owned Sorghum Seeds production companies based in Texas, USA who have donated seeds and offered technical support for Mindanao’s Sorghum Development Program could boost the government’s Halal Food production project and lower poverty incidence in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.
The owners of Scott Seed Company and Warner Seeds of Hereford, Texas and their technical experts have committed to support the Sorghum Program of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA).
They are expected to arrive in Davao City February next year to attend the launching of the program in Davao del Norte and the BARMM provinces.
Scott Seed Company Chief Executive Officer Coby Krieghauser earlier donated 25-metric tons of Sorghum Seeds to MinDA.
The seeds are expected to arrive in the Port of Davao by the first week of February.
Warner Seeds CEO Jerry Monk who earlier sent samples of Sorghum Seeds for pilot farms in Mindanao has pledged to send experts to assist MinDA.
The involvement of the two seed companies with the Sorghum Program in the Philippines started in June this year when I visited Texas while I was still Secretary of Agriculture.
My resignation from the DA and transfer to the MinDA stalled the launching of the program.
Upon learning of my transfer to MinDA, the two companies expressed interest in helping me implement the Sorghum Development Program in Mindanao.
The American experts will conduct a lecture series on Sorghum propagation while Filipino technicians will give briefings on the uses of Sorghum for food and animal feeds, including silage-processing using the Sorghum stalks and mushroom-culture.
One hectare of Sorghum could produce silage materials enough to feed 20 heads of cattle for one year.
The lecture series will be held in the six regions of Mindanao and the Province of Palawan.
Sorghum is considered as a critical component of the livelihood and Halal meat and chicken production program in Mindanao, especially the BARMM Provinces.
Hardy and drought resistant, Sorghum grains are ideal feeds for poultry, especially free-range chicken.
The stalks are also preferred for silage processing for cattle fattening and goat raising.
Feed mill companies, specifically CP Foods Philippines, have already expressed interesr in buying the Sorghum grains produced in the BARMM area and other parts of Mindanao.
(Photos by Diane Faith Garcia and Mayette Tudlas, MinDA OC. Last photo was downloaded from the website of the National Sorghum Producers of America.)
More Stories
Trump Presidency Boon To Philippine Agriculture
Mindanao Fruit Fest Scheduled Sept. 2025
DA, MinDA, LGU! MinDA Targets Tribal Areas For Highland Rice Farming