The increasing world population and the growing market of bio fuels
(ethanol and biodiesel) will put a tremendous demand on crop production. Maize
and edible oils will be particularly affected. According to Robert Swick these
developments will result in a greater supply of lower energy and higher protein
ingredients for animal diets. Furthermore, the price of energy in feed
formulations is expected to rise substantially in the coming
years.
Under the brand name optigrain the German
feed milling company deuka introduces a newly developed piglet feed consisting
of a combination of wheat, barley and corn. This is mechanically-hydro
thermally processed into a mixed package with opticon technology.
The French association of feed and animal production technicians, AFTAA,
held a two-day conference on raw materials for the feed industry in Paris early December. Philippe Caldier attended
the meeting for Feed Tech and here summarises the main conclusions for the world
soybean, lysine and grain markets.
Processing a grain kernel into its basic
forms is simple: grind it, separate the inside and outside and you have flour
and bran. However, Meneba in The Netherlands has developed this process to its
limits and can now offer their clients numerous types of flours and just as
many variations in bran, shorts and middlings.
The
Philippines is one of Asia's biggest importers of rice, its main food staple,
and other grains and feedstuffs due to its rapidly rising population and poor
local farming infrastructure. To get all these food and feed stuffs into the
country there is a boom in opening up new grain handling facilities. Without a
real port history that is not a simple job.
In 2001-2002 the EU harvested the largest
area of cereals in five years. In terms of yield, the result was virtually
identical, with common wheat and maize reaching their highest level since 1996.
Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) has outlined its strategy to be the
global leader in BioEnergy while expanding its premier position in the
agricultural processing value chain.
Agricultural producers in Moldova don't hurry up to make contracts for
delivery of grain for State Reserves of Moldova, expecting to make a better
price later.
The monopoly wheat exporter AWB has vetoed several applications by other
grain handlers to export wheat. The West Australian company CBH and other groups
had lodged applications with the Wheat Export Authority.