PH shifts to less wheat imports on low demand

The Philippines is expected to import less wheat in the upcoming market year as demand for animal feed weakens, reversing an initial forecast of increased uptake, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

- By DEXTER BARRO II

In its “Grain: World Markets and Trade report, the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) estimated that wheat imports will reach 7.2 million metric tons (MT) within the period starting July 2025 and ending in June 2026.

The current projection is three percent lower than last month’s estimate of 7.4 million MT, which was just revised upward from 7.2 million MT on expectations of stronger food and feed demand.

The Philippines is not conducive to wheat production and relies solely on imports to meet its wheat supply needs.

The country imports milling wheat for human consumption and feed wheat for animal feed.