January 21, 2014

Japan may import 5,000 tonnes of Thai chicken during Q1 2014

Phaisilp Voravisutthikul, the vice-president of CP Merchandising Co, said that the export volume could reach 80,000 to 100,000 tonnes by the end of this year but may take several more years to reach 200,000 tonnes, the level at which Japan purchased from Thailand before the bird flu outbreak in 2004.

He added that Japan had since been importing chicken meat from Brazil, with a volume of 350,000 tonnes last year. However, some Japanese importers have switched to place orders with Charoen Pokphand Foods Plc (CPF) instead of Brazil, Phaisilp said. Shipments from Thailand take only seven to ten days compared to two months for Brazilian imports.

Chatree Rachatasomboon, senior vice-president of CPF, said the company has installed an automatic cutting machine and other machinery to dice and debone chicken, as part of an effort to serve demand from Japan.