Taiwan Sugar Corp begins trial to grow feed corn

Taiwan's state-run Taiwan Sugar Corp (Taisugar) is planning to begin cultivating feed corn in late September or early October on about 20 hectares of its own farmland on a trial basis, the company announced Wednesday (July 11, 2008) in a press release.

According to Taisugar, the farm land in Hsinying in the southern county of Tainan is expected to yield a harvest of between 100 and 120 tonnes in February next year, which the company said would help to bring down feed corn prices and operating costs for livestock farmers.

If the trial is successful, Taisugar may expand production to the 2,000 hectares it owns in Pingtung County. This would theoretically expand its corn feed production to 10,000 tonnes.

The company's livestock business consumes 145,000 tonnes of corn a year.