Farmers plant the controversial Bt corn, a variety genetically improves to resist the Asian corn borer, has been steadily rising since its first commercial release in December 2002 and the upward trend is expected to continue in the ensuing years.

However, seed producers must make the cost of the planting materials low and affordable to sustain the momentum, a nationwide survey conducted by the Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines (BCP) revealed.

According to the BCP survey, the number of farmers planting Bt corn is expected to increase at least 10 times next planting season. On the other hand, some Bt corn farmers may no longer plant Bt corn because of the high cost of planting materials.

Bt corn seeds are currently sold at P 4,400 to P 4,900 per 18-kilogram bag, approximately twice the price of hybrid corn seeds that are not induced with the Bacillus thuringiensis, which makes plant resistant to pest - particularly the Asian corn borer.

This prompted the BCP to recommend to make Bt corn more affordable through innovative finance, marketing and credit schemes not only to attract non-adoptors but also to maintain the high percentage of repeat users. About 11 percent of those who plan to plant Bt corn in the future may decide otherwise, because of high cost of seeds, according to survey.

Farmers who tried planting Bt corn were generally satisfied with their use because of the protection from corn borer, increased productivity, and less spraying of insecticide while those who do not complained about the cost of seeds and vulnerability to pest other than the corn borer, diseases and natural calamities.

The survey revealed that farmers who planted Bt corn posted average yield of at least 13 percent higher than non-Bt corn.

Farmers generally produce 5.1 MT per hectare during dry seasons, and 4.9 MT per hectare during the wet seasons, which are 15.3 percent and 13.3 percent higher, respectively, than those non-adoptors, the survey revealed.

Godfrey Ramon, a researcher of the BCP said the guided survey was conducted on July 18-27.

Corn-growing areas that the industry representatives, Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) personnel, and independent scientists jointly identified as conforming to the requirements of Department of Agriculture (DA) Memorandum Circular No. 17 were included in the sampling procedure, wherein Bt corn farmers were the main target respondents.

Some non-adoptors or probable adoptors were also included in the survey, consisting of 926 corn farmers from nine provinces or 33 municipalities. An estimated 70 percent of the respondents surveyed were from Isabela, Pangasinan, and Sultan Kudarat.

The study, which aims to determine the level of acceptance of Filipino farmers on the proposed 80-20 bag-in-a-bag insect resistance management scheme, was conducted on July 18-27 as a condition for approval in December 2002 for the commercial propagation of Monsanto's corn borer-resistant Bt corn MON810.