July 24, 2013
Philippines to build more feed mills in Visayas, Mindanao regions
In order to reduce the price of meat, an official of the Philippine Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) pushed for the establishment of more feed mills in the Visayas and Mindanao regions to end the dependence of the region''slivestock and poultry sector on manufacturers in Luzon.
Angel Mateo, officer in charge of the Animal Feeds Standards Division (AFSD) of the BAI, also urged hog growers and poultry raisers to import their own feed ingredients, arguing that they need not source these materials from importers based in the National Capital Region (NCR).
Mateo said that since 75% of feedsingredients are imported, hog growers, poultry and cattle raisers should buy their materials overseas if they want to reduce their costs.
Even as the country is capable of achieving sufficiency in yellow corn, Mateo said the livestock industry would still have to import fish meal, protein additives and feed wheat. At the moment, he said there are very few feed mills in the Visayas and Mindanao, and this is the reason meat prices there are high.
Mateo said there are 1,730 feed manufacturers in the country, and they are crammed in Central Luzon and the NCR. He said because of the concentration of feed mills in these areas, feed prices are naturally higher in Visayas and Mindanao because of transport costs.
"There is a need for more feed mills in Region eight (Eastern Visayas) and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)," said Mateo. "ARMM needs more investments for the production of halal feed or those with no pork component like lard."
Mateo noted that investments in the feed industry are hindered by the lack of land since large areas have been converted for other purposes and not for agricultural production.