Asian meat and livestock is a dynamic, rapidly expanding and a completely home grown industry. Some countries are export powerhouses, others import or follow their more advanced neighbours. Meat & Livestock Business Asia's survey indicates that while the future is bright, a change of mindset is in order.

As consumer branding represents the apex of the multinational pyramid, Thai chicken processors are just steps away from the top of the global food chain.

The high unit costs and inability to master health and safety issues are due to its disorganisation, undercapitalised nature, bad management and lack of consolidation.

In meat processing techniques, China is far above many other Asian countries.Where it lags the most is in food safety and it is here that the country is trying its hardest to catch up.

The big problem with this disease is that it acts like an iceberg: before the top is noted, the base under the waterline might have ripped up the hull of the ship.