Philippines cooperative opens major feed mill in Luzon

PHILIPPINES – A new feed mill with large-scale corn storage has officially opened in Batangas, Luzon, as part of a broader push to support animal agriculture in the Philippines, including new feed support for duck farmers in Central Luzon.

The Sorosoro Ibaba Development Cooperative (SIDC) Grains Terminal and Trading Project will be operating the new facility.

Located in the city of Batangas in the Calabarzon region, the facility is equipped with two corn silos holding a combined 12,000 metric tons of corn and space for 480,000 sacks of feed—enough to support 600,000 chickens or 100,000 pigs, according to the Philippines News Agency.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., who attended the inauguration, praised SIDC as a model cooperative.

“The SIDC is an example of how a cooperative should be run, and how it can benefit not only its own members, but the whole country,” he said. 

He noted that the investment will strengthen poultry and livestock farming by ensuring improved storage and feed quality.

Founded in 1969, SIDC has grown to become one of the largest farming cooperatives in the Philippines, with multiple ventures including a modern rice mill capable of processing 5 metric tons per hour.

Support for duck farmers 

Meanwhile, in Pampanga, Central Luzon, a new feed distribution program is being rolled out to support duck farmers, amid rising feed prices and ongoing disease challenges. 

Agriculture Secretary Tiu Laurel Jr. announced the initiative, emphasising the region’s importance: “Central Luzon is the center of duck production in the Philippines.”

With a farmed duck population of 4.9 million, Pampanga accounts for 56% of the national duck egg supply and 27% of the duck meat. 

The new program will provide registered duck farmers—those with at least 100 birds—with between 450 and 850 kilograms of feed, valued from PHP15,000 to PHP28,000 (US$261–488). 

Each farmer can receive support for up to 2,000 ducks, and nearly 1,000 farmers are expected to benefit.

“This is not a one-off effort,” Laurel added, noting that the government plans to expand the program into a multiyear initiative covering additional provinces.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the national duck population stood at 13.9 million as of December 2024. 

Although overall numbers dipped slightly by 0.7%, laying ducks rose by 0.5% to 7.9 million. Smallholder farmers dominate the sector, raising more than 70% of the country’s ducks.

National duck meat production reached just under 27,000 metric tons last year, while duck egg production totaled nearly 53,000 metric tons, with Pampanga again leading at 29% of the national output.

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