PHILIPPINE wheat imports are expected to rise 8.62% to 6.3 million metric tons in 2019, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) said.
The USDA said in its Grain: World Market and Trade report that Philippine demand for wheat will rise due to “higher prices for rice and corn.”
The USDA said it continues to see strong, steady demand from traditional buyers like Japan, South Korea and the Philippines.
In a briefing on Tuesday, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said that the USDA estimate “is an indication of a growing livestock and poultry industry.”
Mr. Piñol said the Department of Agriculture is hoping to develop a national sorghum program to help the domestic livestock and poultry industries and reduce the need for imports.
“The focus of our grains program for 2020 is really to make sure that we are able to provide feed materials to our livestock and poultry industry. Also next year, we will be implementing village-level feed mills to help the backyard hog raisers and poultry raisers,” Mr. Piñol said. — Reicelene Joy N. Ignacio
