May 2, 2013
Philippines sends initial corn feed shipment to South Korea
As corn production in the country picks up, the Philippines has sent an initial shipment of corn feed and grains to South Korea.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) said in a statement, along with corn industry groups, sent an initial 24 tonnes of corn silage bovine feed for cattle and dairy on Tuesday (Apr 30) to Busan, South Korea. The shipment is part of its 15,000-tonne target for the year.
Non-government organisation Ploughshares, Inc. will be providing the corn feed to be shipped to South Korea, the department said.
National Corn Executive Board Executive Director Butch Umengan, said in a phone interview that they expect to ship to South Korea 1,000 tonnes of the corn silage bovine feed per month from June-October, and 5,000 tonnes per month from November-December.
"Corn silage bovine feed manufacturing is really starting up. After a hiatus of 15 years, we are currently producing 24 tonnes per day," Umengan said.
Umengan, who is also Ploughshares, Inc.''s president and chief executive, said Vietnam had out competed the Philippines in the past, and now has 80% of Korean Bovine Feed market. But he said local production is starting to improve. "We are now more competitive, we have surplus production and quality from our improved Biotech seeds and breeds," he said.
The initial shipment to South Korea will be worth PHP75 million (US$1.8 million), the department said.