The Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to start procuring white and yellow corn next year, Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said Tuesday.

This comes after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced the resumption of corn buying by the National Food Authority (NFA), which is under the DA, during a dialogue with Gawad Saka awardees in Nueva Ecija on Monday.

“What we planned is white corn. More on white corn ang bibilhin, of course, mayroong konting (We will buy more of white corn, and of course, a little volume of) yellow corn,” Tiu Laurel said in an ambush interview.

He said white corn could reduce the demand for rice as it is considered a good “substitute” or “alternative” for the country's main staple.

“We still have a lot of areas in the Philippines that consume corn grits. At least this could decrease the demand for rice,” he said.

For the planned procurement, at least P500 million to P1 billion will be requested for the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

Tiu Laurel, meanwhile, said they have yet to finalize the NFA’s buying price for corn. He, however, said it would be higher than the corn’s current production cost.

In a separate interview, DA Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Arnel De Mesa said the major corn-producing areas in the country include Cagayan Valley, Northern Mindanao, and Soccsksargen.

“The cost of corn (production) in Region 10 (Northern Mindanao) is P10.05 to P10.20. Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) is up to P13.20. And Region 12 (Soccsksargen) ranges from P11 to P12,” he said in mixed English and Filipino.

Once implemented anew, the NFA has 134 newly refurbished warehouses to cater to the volume of incoming corn supply from local farmers, alongside the expected average stock levels of rice amid the continuous rollout of the “Benteng Bigas Meron (BBM) Na” or the sale of aging but good quality rice stocks at P20 per kg. to the vulnerable sector and minimum wage earners.