The National Seed Quality Certification Services has given its seal of approval to the quality assurance and control system of the Foundation University Farm in Palanguyan, Tanjay City, for corn seed and planting material production.
Gumersindo Sarao, manager of the Palanguyan Farm in Tanjay, said the corn seeds produced by the farm are of high quality aimed at increasing crop productivity for human consumption.
“The farm started planting corn seeds last July 2013 as it began to improve the quality of the farming community through the use of high quality seeds that will eventually enable them to produce high quality agriculture products that are globally competitive, “ Sarao said.
“After our first harvest on the first week of October, we submitted sample seeds to the NSQCS for seed testing and seed material certification,” said Sarao. “And just last week, we were informed that the sample we’ve submitted has passed the seed quality control standard.”
The process for the registration and certification was not an easy one. Sarao said they had to go through a series of steps to finally getting the certification. The seed samples, for instance, had to be obtained in accordance with the International Rules of Seed Testing or as prescribed by the National Seed Industry Council.
The seed testing, on the other hand, had to comply with another meticulous process. Everything had to be accurate to allow prompt analysis of a sample to determine its quality based on the methodologies prescribed by the International Seed Testing Association. Inspection of seed warehouse, processing plants and seed producers/dealers’ distribution centers, and production areas, among others, were also some of the things they had to undergo.
Harvesting is done 110 to 120 days after planting. And usually, farmers wait for good weather before commencing harvest so that the corn seeds will not germinate.
Currently, the FU Planguyan farm has enough harvested corn seeds ready for selling. (Paul Edward Bajas)
