Pioneer Hi-Bred picks Phl as export hub

LUISITA INDUSTRIAL PARK, Tarlac City , Philippines  - Pioneer Hi-Bred Philippines, a subsidiary of Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., is hoping to make the Philippines an export hub for its hybrid corn and rice seeds in the next five to 10 years.

Pioneer Hi-Bred has invested an initial P1 billion (around $22 million) for phases 1 and 2 of a new 7.4 hectare seed processing plant in Tarlac which was formally inaugurated yesterday.

The Tarlac facility, which can produce up to 12,000 metric tons of seeds a year, will initially serve the Philippine market.

The Tarlac plant is the second plant of Pioneer Hi-Bred in the Philippines. It has an existing plant in Polomolok, South Cotabato.

Depending on further studies and opportunities, Pioneer Hi-Bred eventually hopes to market its hybrid corn and rice seeds to other South East Asian countries, according to Jet. C. Parma, country manager of Pioneer Hi-Bred Philippines.

According to Parma, the Tarlac plant’s hybrid seed production is mainly geared for corn production, as its hybrid rice production is just starting up.

At present, the Tarlac plant is producing 4,000 metric tons a year but this can be easily raised to 5,000 MT/year, Parma said.

Pioneer Hi-Bred Philippines is currently crunching numbers on the possible demand in South East Asia so that in the next five years it can start exporting some of its production to such countries as Vietnam and Pakistan.

Pioneer Hi-Bred Philippines currently controls more than 40 percent of the local hybrid corn market. Its competitors locally and in the Asia-Pacific region are Monsanto and Syngenta.

Pioneer Hi-Bred International is a subsidiary of global science company Du Pont.