The Philippines, the first Asian country to commercialise genetically modified corn, has approved the sale and planting of another biotech corn developed by Swiss agrochemicals maker Syngenta.

The insect-resistant BT-11 corn strain from Syngenta will be the second genetically modified corn to be released in the Philippines after a similar variety introduced in 2003 by U.S. agrochemical firm Monsanto Co.

"The BT-11 transformation event has been approved for propagation," a senior official at state regulator Bureau of Plant Industry, who declined to be identified, told Reuters.

The official, who was also among a group of biotechnology experts who reviewed the merits of planting BT-11 corn, said farmers could increase their yields by 40 percent per harvest by using the Syngenta strain.

BT corn contains the gene Bacillus Thuringiensis, which is resistant to the Asiatic corn borer pest. The Asiatic corn borer is the leading destroyer of corn crops in the Philippines, causing losses of up to 80 percent in yields.

Rod Bioco, president of the Philippine Maize Federation Inc., said some farmers who used BT corn seeds increased yields by 25-33 percent to 5-6 tonnes per hectare per crop last year versus the 4-4.5 tonnes using other varieties of yellow corn. "If there is a new competition in the market, hopefully the price of corn seeds will drop," he said, adding a 50 kg (110 lb) bag of BT corn cost 4,500-5,000 pesos ($83-$92), or twice as much as a bag of hybrid seeds developed in conventional ways.

Government officials have said that biotech corn, largely used for animal feed, has been accepted by the domestic market despite opposition by some environmental groups like Greenpeace.

Some 52,000 hectares were planted with BT corn last year, or two percent of the total 2.5 million hectares planted to corn in the country. In March, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said the commercial planting of BT corn was part of the government's policy to achieve self-sufficiency in corn.

The country imports corn and feed wheat each year as the domestic harvest of corn is lower than demand. The Philippines bought 540,000 tonnes of wheat and 10,000 tonnes of corn for animal feed last year. Imports of both corn and feed wheat are expected to be higher this year because of damage from storms late last year and drought caused by El Nino this year.

Philippine corn output rose 17 percent to 5.4 million tonnes last year from 4.6 million in 2003.