Cargill eyes PH as production hub for SEA feed nutrition

Multinational firm Cargill of the United States (US) is now eyeing bigger production of animal nutrition premix solutions to meet the increasing demand from medium and large livestock farms and feed millers in the Philippines and other Southeast Asian (SEA) countries.

To do this, Cargill opened this week its newest animal nutrition premix plant in the Philippines.

Cargill particularly invested US$12 million, or more than 600 million in Philippine peso terms, to open the plant where 50 newly hired local employees will produce animal nutrition premix solutions to be made available under the Provimi brand.

“The Philippines and Southeast Asian countries are seeing increased consumer demand for meat products, especially pork and chicken. This is great news for the growth potential of local livestock farms and feed millers,” said Noel Kim, general manager of Cargill Provimi, Philippines.

“At our premix plant, Cargill can now manufacture the animal nutrition products these producers need to sustainably deliver high quality, safe, affordable meat to consumers,” he added.

For his part, Chuck Warta, president of Cargill Premix and Nutrition, said the company is committed to grow further in the Philippines and Southeast Asia because of their great potential.

"With the population and income growth driving demand for animal protein in the region, Cargill knows how important it is to invest here, supporting local farmers and creating additional job opportunities as a result of our growth,” Warta said.

The premix plant is one of two important plant openings for Cargill in the Philippines this week, as the company also announced the opening of a poultry processing facility in Batangas, which is a joint venture with Jollibee Foods Corp., also a multinational firm.

The two plants strengthen the company’s presence in Asia Pacific, where Cargill employs 54,000 employees across 16 countries.