Feed millers ramp up local purchases

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s feed millers have purchased more corn from local farmers amid a bumper harvest season.

The Philippine Association of Feed Millers Inc. (PAFMI) said it had bought 133,500 metric tons of corn from growers in Isabela, Bukidnon, General Santos, Iloilo, Davao, and other provinces in August and September, encouraged by the bumper harvest and the good quality of this cropping season’s produce.

PAFMI is the biggest association of feed millers in the country with 33 member companies including San Miguel Corp., Universal Robina Corp., Pilmico Foods, La Filipina Uygongco Corp. and General Milling Corp.

Its members account for 70 percent of the country’s total animal feed production.

The Department of Agriculture earlier called on the feed milling industry to buy more local corn as an incentive for farmers to produce more. The DA and PAFMI are set to sign a memorandum of agreement in corn and soybeans contract growing in select provinces.

The MOA seeks to assure local farmers of a market for their produce, with technical assistance from the DA and a ready market which PAFMI will provide.

PAFMI said the province of Isabela is the current top choice with its good quality harvest of low-moisture, less damaged kernels and low aflatoxin levels.

To date, PAFMI members have bought 54,500 MT of corn from Isabela.

Other provinces which have sold corn to PAFMI are Bukidnon at 6,480 MT; General Santos and Davao at 3,000 MT each, and Iloilo at 1,300 MT.

While deliveries in Luzon are going on relatively unhampered, PAFMI said distribution in Visayas and Mindanao are experiencing weather-caused delays.

Frequent rains have slowed down deliveries and some corn stocks have been exposed to moisture, causing quality concerns. Rains and thunderstorms are expected in Northern Mindanao, including Bukidnon in the next few weeks.

The Philippines produces 5.6 million MT of yellow corn for animal feed use but this still falls short of the national requirement of nearly 10 million MT.