DAVAO CITY- The Philippines expected to increase its cotton production areas to 50,000 hectares in five years, and yield is also projected to rise through the use of modern biotechnology and the infusion of capital from the private sector.

This sanguine assessment was made by Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap in a chat with farmers who have expressed keen interest in producing cotton in Mindanao and the Visayas.

Such view was earlier aired by Yap during the 7th anniversary of the Cotton Development Administration (Coda), when he handed over a P5-million grant for the BT Cotton project of Coda.

The BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) Cotton project is expected to reinforce Coda's target 10 percent increase in the number of hectares for cotton production within five years.

>From 4,921 hectares of cotton plantation in 2004, Coda expects to reach 50,000 hectares of land for corn production in the year 2010.

Yap said that he expects the country to be self-sufficient in cotton owing to the increase in cotton production through the help of Bt cotton and other hybrid varieties now being developed.

He also emphasized that each hectare for cotton production means additional jobs for Filipinos.

He also challenged the Coda to concentrate on "businessizing" the cotton supply chain where there is a systematic strategy form production to finding a niche in the market.

"The truth is, my entire concept of 'bussinesszing' the Philippine agriculture industry starts with cotton," said Yap.

Coda administration Eugenio Orpia Jr. said that through the help of the private sector, Coda manages to pursue its objectives.

"Through the mutual cooperation and partnership of the cotton industry stakeholders, both the government and the private sector, the growth in the industry foresees the emergence of a commercial size cotton production base, increasing annually up to the 50,000 hectares of cotton in 2010 where growers harvest at least 2,000 kilograms per hectare," he said.

He also reported that the number of cotton farms in the Philippines increased significantly with the creation of the Coda, from 2,000 hectares in 1998 when Coda was created to almost 5,000 hectares today.