Philippines considers millet as an alternative to corn in animal feed

The Philippine Department of Agriculture is studying wider use of millet as an alternative to corn in animal feed production. The initiative aims to reduce the livestock sector’s dependence on a single feed grain and improve resilience to drought.

Interest in millet has increased amid risks linked to El Niño. Its effects are expected to persist into the first half of 2027, while the phenomenon could strengthen by the end of 2026, raising the likelihood of rainfall shortages and prolonged dry periods.

Millet requires less water than corn and can produce crops under drier conditions. Authorities therefore see it as a potential feed ingredient when corn production comes under pressure from adverse weather.

Corn remains one of the main feed ingredients in the Philippines, so shortages or higher prices quickly raise costs for livestock farms and feed manufacturers. A broader range of feed ingredients could help reduce these risks.

The potential for wider millet use will depend on yields, nutritional value, availability and processing economics. The government also plans to support more local production and processing of feed ingredients in regional areas.

Tags: corn, Philippines, Millet, compound feed