BINH DUONG, VIETNAM — Cargill opened a new $28 million feed mill in Binh southern Vietnam. The mill is the company’s 12th animal nutrition facility in the country, its largest and most technologically advanced.

The 48,000-square-meter feed mill produces a wide portfolio of poultry and swine feed and has an annual capacity of 240,000 tonnes. As Cargill’s largest and most innovative feed mill in Vietnam, a large portion of the plant’s operations are automated, allowing for increased operational efficiency and an enhanced customer experience, providing excellent service for a range of demands. 

“Our customers expect us to keep innovating and adding value to their products and services,” said Philippa Purser, group director, Cargill Feed & Nutrition. “This new feed mill enables us to better serve our customers with advanced technology and safe, high-quality animal feed. This new facility gives us a platform for the co-prosperity of both Cargill and the livestock industry as we work with the government, local communities and partners to help build a sustainable feed industry with a long-term future in Vietnam.”

The company noted the Binh Duong provided a strategic location for Cargill to open this feed mill, due to its prime location, the province’s strong push to modernize its local agriculture industry, its move toward sustainable farming and its strong support for agriculture infrastructure development.

At an opening ceremony attended by 400 guests, including local government officials, rural communities, customers, partners and employees, Nguyen Xuan Duong, general director of the Department of Livestock Production, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said, “Cargill feeds have been recognized and trusted by animal farmers and producers for high quality and safe food. The opening of Cargill’s 12th animal protein plant will help Cargill grow, along with Vietnam’s feed industry. I would like to recognize Cargill and highly appreciate the company’s valuable contribution to the development of Vietnam’s livestock production sector in the past years.”

According to Cargill, animal protein consumption has been increasing in Vietnam and the trend is expected to continue in line with the country’s rapid economic growth and regional trends. After recovery from the recent market turbulence caused by large pork over supply during the last two years,

Vietnam’s national feed market is expected to grow about 3% annually and it remains the largest commercial feed market in ASEAN. Meat, dairy and fish consumption is already driving higher protein intake in southeast Asian countries, particularly Vietnam, along with Myanmar and Indonesia, according to research from The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).

The research by EIU also reported that food safety concerns are accelerating the shift of preference toward healthier animal protein in countries like Vietnam.

“Our uncompromising approach to feed safety, ingredient quality and product integrity gives us strong confidence to expand our investment to provide more healthy feed to serve the local farming industry and serve local consumers,” Purser said.

This is Cargill’s most recent expansion into the feed industry. The company is launching a plant-based fish oil alternative that provides long chain omega-3 fatty acids for aquafeed, Latitude. It is 100% traceable due to Cargill managing the supply chain from the canola seed to crop cultivation and oil production.

Cargill also opened a shrimp feed plant in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Facility includes two production lines, one under the Purina brand and the other under Aquaxcel.