March 11, 2014

Thailand's frozen poultry exports to Japan resumes

Japan has lifted its 10-year ban on Thailand's frozen chicken imports, as announced by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

In her online message the Prime Minister congratulated local exporters and the frozen poultry export industry as a whole, as Japan has officially lifted its ban on Thailand's frozen chicken it imposed 10 years ago during the outbreak of avian flu.

She applauded both the government's and the private sector's efforts in maintaining safety standards and keeping out the disease, which eventually led to regaining Japan's confidence. The ban was lifted at the end of December last year and has since propelled the Thai frozen poultry export, said the premier, adding that the sector aimed to achieve 5,000 tonnes of export within the first quarter this year, and between 80,000-100,000 tonnes by the end of 2014.

Yingluck also said Thailand would soon reclaim its position as the world's leading exporter of frozen poultry products, predicting that in a couple of years the nation would be able to export up to 200,000 tonnes annually. She is also convinced that, once the country has established its firm ground on the frozen poultry products, it could in the near future open doors to international fresh poultry markets for the nation's poultry industry.