PH soybean meal imports expected to rise by 10% — USDA

The Philippines' soybean meal importation is forecast to rise by 10% in the marketing year (MY) 2026 to 2027 due to higher demand in the poultry sector, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) said.

Soybean meal importation could rise to 3.85 million metric tons, or a 200,000-metric ton increase from the initial outlook of 3.65 million metric tons.

"The Philippines is forecast to increase imports of soybean meal by 10 percent in 2026/27 to 3.85 million tons, driven by continued growth of the poultry sector with chicken meat production expected to increase by nearly 6 percent in 2027," the USDA said in its report.

The Philippines remains as the top export market for American soybean meal.

The USDA said the Philippines exceeded the most recent 5-year average for first-week outstanding sales by 118,000 tons.

Soybean meal is commonly used as feeds for animals including swine, poultry, and for aquaculture.

Since MY 2021 to 2022, the United States has seen a steady rise in soybean meal production and exports.

"More competitive soybean meal prices and higher global demand are driving higher U.S. exports which are forecast to increase by 11 percent in 2026/27," the USDA said.

Aside from the Philippines, other export markets for US soybean meal are Mexico, Canada, Columbia, and Vietnam. — VDV, GMA News