March 28, 2006

Thailand's chicken industry hope to score big in World Cup

Thailand's football team may not be in the list of countries appearing at World Cup 2006 in Germany, but its chickens will be.

The Thai Commerce Ministry is launching a campaign to encourage consumption of Thai processed chicken in a region that is expected to face a supply shortage this year.

The strategy involves encouraging food chains and restaurants to use chicken in German dishes and promote the safety of Thai processed chicken.

Chantra Purnariksha, director-general of the Export Department, said the bird-flu problem had not affected Thai chicken exports as measures have been put in place to control the disease.

Since the bird-flu outbreak a few years ago, Thai exporters have shifted to exporting processed chicken or broiler chicken.

The spread of bird flu in Eastern Europe has created more export opportunities for Thai chicken, said Chantra, adding that promoting Thai chicken to the large crowds at the World Cup in Germany is a sure way to increase sales.

The Commerce Ministry hopes to achieve US$914 million in global Thai chicken exports this year, a 30 percent increase over 2005. Germany is Thailand's fourth largest markets for chickens.

Chantra said that the department also planned to promote Thai chicken to new markets such as Russia, Canada, Denmark and Sweden.

Prospects for processed chicken exports to new markets have never been better. January exports to Canada have grown year on-year by 36.6 percent, to Denmark by 269 per cent, and to Sweden by 218 per cent.