The importation of pulses and other leguminous vegetables are seen rising five to seven percent over the next five years, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Other leguminous vegetables on the import list include munggo, green beans, chick peas, sweet peas and other types of beans.
The USDA said the country’s growing reliance on imports and the rising price of animal-sourced protein are key growth drivers.
Pulses and leguminous vegetable imports in various formats as dry, frozen, flour and prepared foods, totaled $88 million in 2022. A tenth of total imports rated as third largest were from US suppliers after countries under ASEAN and Canada.
According to the USDA, the Philippines bought 50,000 metric tons of munggo worth $40 million, 61,500 MT of peas valued at $34 million, 13,000 MT of other dry leguminous vegetables including kidney beans, chickpeas and broad beans worth $9 million, 3,900 MT of prepared beans, chickpeas and peas worth $4 million, 1,830 MT of frozen leguminous vegetables mostly peas for $2 million, and 5.5 MT of chickpea flour worth $7,000.
As of end-2021, Philippine production of leguminous vegetables fell five years in a series to 166,600 MT, at a compound annual growth rate of minus 1 percent.
Locally-produced pulses of 42,000 MT accounted for only 27 percent of the country’s requirement during the period with the remaining 73 percent or 116,500 MT satisfied by imported pulses.
The USDA said the situation is an opportunity for importers to supply the Philippines with pulses and other leguminous vegetables.
The USDA also said the growing Filipino interest in plant-based food and the expanding local vegan and vegetarian movements support the higher demand for the products.
