Philippines to boost corn silage exports to South Korea

The Department of Agriculture secretary Proceso J Alcala said recently that South Korea has requested for an increase in corn silage imports from the Philippines, from the initial 1,000 metric tonnes per month to 3,000 metric tonnes per month.

The corn silage from the Philippines will be shipped to Incheon and Busan, Alcala noted.

The agriculture secretary further explained that the department expects to start shipment of the 3,000 metric tonnes per month corn silage in June until December. He added that the department has increased its export target for corn silage this year to 45,000 metric tonnes from 15,000 metric tonnes.

Alcala said that South Korea has agreed to increase imports of corn silage from the Philippines after its local market responded favourably.

Last week, the department was able to get a reply from South Korean authorities that the market is satisfied, he added.

Alcala said the department has already allotted an additional 6,000 hectares of corn plantations to keep up with the increased demand from South Korea.

The Philippines is getting more demand from South Korea because Manila is in a position to ship corn silage within four days, compared to Vietnam, which ships imports within six days. Vietnam currently controls 80 per cent of the imported corn silage market in South Korea.

The department, along with corn industry groups, had sent an initial 24 metric tonnes of corn silage bovine feed for cattle and dairy cows to Busan, South Korea last April. Alcala said exporting corn silage would increase farmers’ incomes by an average of 20 per cent.