October 10, 2013
Philippines'' feed supply enough to last for seven months
Figures from the National Corn Programme (NCP) under the Department of Agriculture (DA) revealed that the Philippines'' inventory of corn and corn substitutes used for manufacturing animal feeds can supply the market for almost seven months.
Data from NCP showed that by the end of the year the supply of yellow corn, cassava and imports of feed wheat would reach 8.2 million tonnes. NCP said corn production has been rising at an average of 7.13% annually since 2001 and the DA believes it may be good policy to allow farmers to export some of their excess corn.
Of the ending inventory of 8.2 million tonnes, feed wheat imported from Ukraine and Australia accounted for only 720,000 tonnes, in addition to an earlier importation of 22,000 tonnes of yellow corn.
"Feed wheat is a necessary ingredient for animal feeds and its importation is a must for the members of the Philippine Association of Feed Millers Inc. (PAFMI)," a top NCP official admitted.
"If stored properly in their silos, PAFMI members can use the feed wheat, which will still be good even if kept for a year. Those without silos have to consume their feed wheat within two months," the official said.
PAFMI supplies about 60% of the animal feeds requirements nationwide, with the backyard breeders accounting for 40%.
NCP figures indicated that local yellow corn production stands at 5.25 million tonnes. If the 12.7% in postharvest losses or 667,000 tonnes and the 200,000 tonnes possible losses from drought and typhoons are deducted, net available supply may reach 4.39 million tonnes.
The Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) determined the standard post-harvest loss for corn. With the supply of yellow corn and corn substitutes at 6.97 million tonnes less the demand for yellow corn for feeds at 5.26 million tonnes, the ending stock for yellow corn and yellow corn substitutes would still be 1.7 million tonnes, which is enough to provide the raw material for the livestock and poultry industries for almost four months, NCP data showed.
However, an NCP official clarified that the country''s inventory of corn and cassava for year-end 2013 would actually boost the supply to 2.3 million tonnes, which is enough to supply the market for 5.26 months.
If the local feed ingredients are combined with the imported feed wheat, the country''s ending stock would be 2.94 million tonnes, which can last for 6.69 months. Even as cassava is a corn substitute that is a good source of nutrients for livestock, its annual output cannot compare with that of yellow corn.
The NCP official stressed that trade liberalisation actually encouraged more imports of feed wheat, which comprise between 20% and 30% of the animal feeds formula manufactured in the country.
He also said that corn is the high-protein component of animal feeds and it has higher protein content than feed wheat. However, soy has the highest vegetable protein among the ingredients used for animal feeds. For poultry feeds, soy is also needed since it is required for the generation of better egg yolk and stronger birds, the official noted.