To meet increasing demand from medium and large livestock farms and feed millers in the Philippines and Southeast Asian countries, Cargill opened on Thursday its first animal nutrition premix plant in the Philippines.
The company said in a statement it invested $12 million in the plant, where 50 local employees will produce animal nutrition premix solutions that will be marketed under the “Provimi” brand. An opening ceremony was held on Thursday at the plant in First Bulacan Industrial Park in Malolos, Bulacan.
“The Philippines and Southeast Asian countries are seeing increased consumer demand for meat products, especially pork and chicken,” 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,” Kim added.
Malolos City Mayor Christian Natividad said Cargill’s presence in the area is a boon for the local community.
“The city of Malolos is appreciative of Cargill’s presence, a big boost to our cities’ economic and employment opportunities. We hope to reciprocate by providing all the needed assistance and better business ambiance to make Cargill’s project a success,” Natividad said.
“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,” said Chuck Warta, president of Cargill Premix and Nutrition.
Ralph Bean, agricultural counselor at the United States Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service, noted that the plant is just one of the many investments made by American firms like Cargill in the Philippines.
“This plant…heralds a strong partnership and a bright future for all going forward. The plant will provide products that will enable Philippine farmers to ensure greater productivity, reliability and quality in the end products that go onto Philippine dinner tables,” Bean said.
Earlier, the company announced the opening of a poultry-processing facility, which is a joint venture with Jollibee, in Batangas. The two plants strengthen the company’s presence in Asia Pacific, where Cargill employs 54,000 employees across 16 countries.