The Philippine Association of Feed Millers Inc. (PAFMI) has asked the Department of Agriculture (DA) led by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to act urgently on their request on corn importation to help stabilize prices of meat.
The group in a statement asked DA to prioritize end-users like themselves in the allocation of imported feed corn and to finalize plans to increase to 2 million metric tons (MMT) corn to be imported under the minimum access volume from the current 217,000 MT.
The group warned a delay in importation would push prices of chicken further.
They said giving them direct access to the imported raw material will allow them to immediately produce feeds to meet demand.
Urgent action is needed especially in the face of a weakening peso against the US dollar, PAFMI said.
The group said imported corn for feeds would also be an ideal substitute for the higher-priced feed wheat, and can help pull down prices of pork and chicken.
PAFMI said under DA Administrative Order NO. 52, the DA Secretary is authorized to give priority to end-users in the allocation of the MAV Plus for grains in cases that may prove beneficial to the sector.
End-users include feed millers and feed mixers, most of which are also livestock and poultry growers.
PAFMI said the government should also decide the soonest as local farmers are now unable to afford higher priced fertilizers which may result in a drop in local corn production this year, with last year’s harvest only reaching 6 million MT which is still way below the demand of more than 9 million MT.
DA’s monitoring of 13 public markets in the National Capital Region as of yesterday (July 12) showed prevailing retail prices of whole dressed chicken was at P200 per kg while pork kasim was at P340 per kg and pork liempo at P390 per kg.
