May 13, 2026
 

Paraguay eyes Philippine grain market after establishing meat trade foothold

Maize, oilseeds and agro-industrial products are the next targets as Paraguay looks to consolidate its position as an animal protein supplier in Southeast Asia.

Paraguay is seeking access to the Philippine grain market, with maize, oilseeds and agro-industrial products identified as priority exports, President Santiago Peña Palacios said following bilateral talks with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Manila on 11 May.

The push builds on a meat trade established in August 2025, when the Philippines cleared Paraguayan meat imports. A first 27-tonne container of boneless poultry thighs arrived in November, followed by bone-in beef shipments.

"We see significant opportunities to broaden our export offering in grain, maize, oilseeds and agro-industrial products, in response to Philippine demand for food security," Peña said. He added that Paraguay aspires to consolidate its position as a reliable supplier of animal protein in Southeast Asia, a market of more than 100 million consumers.

If realised, Paraguayan grain exports to the Philippines would put the country in direct competition with Argentina and Brazil, which are currently among the largest non-ASEAN corn suppliers to the market. The Philippines is forecast to import 1.75 million tonnes of corn in the 2025-26 market year, a 7.4% increase on the previous year, according to the United States Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service.

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry has signed a separate agreement with REDIEX, Paraguay's investment and export agency, to begin matching companies on both sides, providing a commercial framework for trade development.

- Philstar