Three Latin American (LTA) countries purchased record amounts of U.S. distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) in the 2021/2022 marketing year (MY): Colombia, Ecuador and Jamaica.

“One of the main focus for the Latin America office is to promote DDGS among current and potential end-users in the region to help increase exports to reach a higher portion of the estimated market potential. In Colombia, the largest end-users and importers are the commercial feed producers. However, their consumption can still increase. Therefore, those companies continue participating in programs that aim for higher inclusion rates. At the same time, efforts continue to create awareness and better understanding of DDGS among the potential feed, poultry and livestock producers that have not used them,” said Ana Ballesteros, LTA marketing director.

“In Ecuador, were the Council has promoted DDGS since 2016, the aquaculture sector was the largest importer and end-user of DDGS in this marketing year. Their formulas could pay the higher cost of DDGS that was subject to a 12 percent VAT, while the poultry and pork producers were not. However, with the VAT exemption confirmed in February 2023, exports will continue to increase and consumption will again expand to other animal sectors that are comfortable using DDGS. In Jamaica, the Council did virtual consultations with the only importer of DDGS on the Island in 2021, that resulted in higher inclusion rates for poultry and pork formulas.”

Colombia, the tenth-largest market for U.S. DDGS in MY 2021/2022, totaled 295,000 metric tons (MT), or 12 million bushels in corn equivalent. Worth $91 million, Colombia’s DDGS purchases were up nearly 10 percent from MY 2020/2021.

Purchases from both Ecuador and Jamaica increased by about 56 percent between MY 2020/2021 and MY 2021/2022. Ecuador imported 91,950 MT, or four million bushels in corn equivalent, of U.S. DDGS, while Jamaica imported 25,936 MT, or one million bushels in corn equivalent.