March 12, 2008

Betagro Group invests US$12.7 million in four pig farms
 

Thailand's Betagro Group has invested about THB400 million (US$12.7 million) into the construction of four pig farms in order to increase high quality pork production for the export markets.

The new facilities are located in Lopburi province, and are expected to have a daily production rate of 1400 hogs by year-end. The facilities will include three parent pig-producing farms that will house 40,000 pigs and one pig-fattening farm that will house 24,000 pigs.

The production of the new farms is expected to boost the group's total parent stock to 80,000 heads.

Betagro's pork business earned about THB4 billion (US$126.8 million) per year and exports accounted for THB500 million (US$15.8 million).

In addition, the company plans to increase its sausage production capacity from 300 tonnes to 800 tonnes by next year.

Betagro Group is among the top five in Thailand's chicken industry, exporting 40,000 of the country's total of 310,000 to 320,000 tonnes last year. In the swine industry, it processes about 1,600 pigs or 13.33 percent of Bangkok's daily total of 12,000.