The Philippines is seriously considering an offer from the People's Republic of China for the commercial trial of the latter's high-yielding hybrid corn variety to help the country attain self-sufficiency in the vital feed-grain sector over a shorter period of time.

Agriculture Undersecretary Theresa Cruz-Capellan said China made the offer last week following the visit of a 48-member Philippine delegation. Capellan headed the delegation which included private sector leaders from the country's grains and livestock sectors. The visit was highlighted by on-site inspection of the vast corn fields in China's Jilin Province.

Capellan said the group was impressed by the corn production of Jilin province (one of China's five provinces) which accounts for 25 percent of China's corn output and 60 percent of China's exports to the global market.

"Using the Chinese hybrid corn seeds, Jilin province was able to obtain a yield of 12 metric tons per hectare in one cropping season, which is even bigger than the yields of hybrid seeds of 4 to 5 tons per hectare," Capellan said.

The Philippines has already been conducting two trial plantings of the Chinese corn hybrid in small plots totalling 20 hectares. Capellan said Jilin province has committed to supply for free to the Philippine government an equivalent of 500 hectares of hybrid corn seeds and fertilizers for the third trial planting.

"After the third trial planting, Jilin committed to expand the volume some more so that the seeds can be planted in demonstration plots in major corn producing areas for a better appreciation and exposure of Filipino farmers to this new technology," Capellan said.

Capellan, who also heads the Food Security and Million Jobs Office, said she is excited about the huge prospects of the China hybrid corn for generating employment in the countryside.

Capellan, a graduate of Harvard University with a masters degree in international development, supervised President Arroyo's Grains Highway project and the GMA-rice program. She is also credited with having raised some $700 million worth of overseas development assistance for the agriculture sector, an unequalled record. She is also the chief implementor of the President's overall Rice and Corn Program.