Phillippines 2011 corn production to be lower than expected

The Agriculture department of the Phillippines expects 2011 corn production will be lower than the expected target of 7.26 million metric tons due to the effect of typhoons on that country's output, according to a report.
“We are not confident we will hit the target [for corn production] for 2011, but it will be close, based on my assessment,” said Edilberto M. de Luna, assistant secretary for field operations and national corn program coordinator. “If there will be a variance, it will be about 200,000 to 250,000 MT due to accumulated losses from the typhoons.”  Philippine Maize Federation Inc. president, Roger V. Navarro, said the group also does not expect corn output to reach the 2011 goal due to a dry spell that hit Region II, a major corn producer, in mid-2011, delaying planting and reducing harvests. “We think it reached 6.9 million MT to 7 million MT last year," said Navarro. "There was a dry spell sometime in June to July in Region II which we think had an impact on pollination and production." According to de Luna, corn production of 7.856 million MT is the target for 2012.