The Philippines is expected to import 3.35 million metric tons (MT) of soybean meal (SBM) in marketing year (MY) 2025-2026, a 3.1 percent increase from the previous year’s 3.25 million MT, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) in Manila.
In a report dated 8 April 2025, FAS Manila traced the expansion to growing demand for animal and aquaculture feeds, driven by population growth, higher household incomes, and greater consumption of protein-rich foods such as chicken, eggs, fish, and shrimp. The ongoing recovery of the swine sector and the expansion of the pet food industry also help fuel the SBM demand.
SBM, a protein-rich byproduct of soybean oil extraction, remains a key ingredient in livestock feed. Despite its growing consumption, local production is stagnant at just 22,000 MT due to the country’s limited soybean cultivation, hampered by tropical climate challenges. The Philippines sources 83 percent of its SBM imports from the United States, followed by Argentina (15 percent), Brazil (1 percent), China (1 percent), and others (0.2 percent).
In contrast, domestic copra meal production — another feed component — is projected to rise by 1.8 percent to 865,000 MT, thanks to a slight rebound in coconut supply. However, copra meal consumption is expected to stay flat at 530,000 MT, as it lacks the protein content and amino acid profile of SBM. With copra prices trending upward, feed manufacturers are increasingly favoring SBM.
Meanwhile, copra meal exports are projected to rise 1.5 percent to 340,000 MT, with South Korea remaining the primary destination.
SBM marketing year in the Philippines begins in January, while copra meal’s starts in October.
