May 23, 2011
Japan's compound feed down by 1.8%
Japan's total compound feed output fell 1.8% in March from a year earlier to 2.13 million tonnes, declining on-year for the third month in a row, Agriculture Ministry data revealed on Friday (May 20).
The March figure did not include output from five factories located in north-eastern Japan, which was hit by a massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami on March 11, a farm ministry official said.
The five factories account for 3% of the total 159 factories from which the data is compiled. The official said it was highly unlikely that the five factories have recovered production as of April, and so the data for April may show similar on-year declines.
In February, total output of compound feed for animals had decreased 4% from a year earlier to 1.847 million tonnes, after falling 3% in January.
Japan is the world's biggest importer of corn, the main ingredient in animal feed in Japan. The US is its main supplier of corn for feed use. Japanese corn production is negligible.