Dumaguete: Corn farmers in Negros Oriental will continue to receive fuel subsidies and farm inputs to ensure better yield, the Department of Agriculture-Provincial Agriculture Technology Coordinating Office (DA-PATCO) here assured on Monday. 'Aside from the fuel subsidy to those engaged in mechanized farming, the government is also giving them corn seeds and fertilizers for free,' Kent Babylonia, Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division staff of the DA-PATCO, said in an interview.

According to Philippines News Agency, Babylonia said the dwindling and erratic supply of corn in the market is attributed to low supply, as farmers are also bracing for the impact of the weather system El Ni±o this year. The office noticed that several corn food and feed grades are becoming scarce based on their daily price monitoring of selected agri-fishery commodities.

Their monitoring report on Monday showed that corn (white cob or glutinous) and corn grits (white and yellow, food grade and feed grade) are no longer available at the city market here. Only corn yellow (cob/sweet corn) and corn cracked (yellow, feed grade) were still being sold, Babylonia said.

The prices of cornmeal were monitored to be higher than those of rice, starting at PHP70 a kilo and higher. Meanwhile, the DA monitored slight increases in fish, livestock, fowls, vegetables, and fruits. DA-PATCO Negros Oriental head Bernard Limbaga said the movement in prices is still "insignificant" although local government units and other higher authorities can regulate the prices of commodities when necessary. He added that their primary role is in price monitoring and they have no authority to call out or institute measures against violators.