An eFeedLink Exclusive        

 

 

Price summary
 

 

Under normal situations when pork prices are higher, prices of chicken meat will also be higher, but during the past week chicken meat prices were lower because of excess in production.

 

The school holiday period is also one other main reason for the loss in consumption demand for chicken meat. Farm gate chicken prices were lower at THB40/kg (US$1.23/kg) from THB43/kg (US$1.33/kg) in the first week of March.

 

Local trading prices in the southern area were lower in the range of THB40/kg to THB42/kg (US$1.02/kg to US$1.30/kg).

 

Chicken is traded in the northern region in the range of THB33/kg to THB38/kg (US$1.02kg to US$1.17/kg) from last week's range of THB36/kg to THB39/kg (US$1.11kg to US$1.21/kg), while chicken is traded in the central, eastern and western regions in the range of THB36/kg to THB40/kg (US$1.11/kg to US$1.23/kg) from last week's range of THB39/kg to THB41/kg (US$1.20/kg to US$1.27/kg).

 

 

Market analysis

 

For the patient in Chiangmai province who died from a flu virus, the real reason for death is influenza H1N1 and not avian influenza according to the public news. This news statement was released by the department of livestock development (DLD) last week after a medical diagnosis.

 

Thailand had found its first bird flu case on January 23, 2004 in a layer farm at Bangplama district, Supanburi province and the outbreak had spread widely that year to 783 areas. In 2005 110 areas were found, in 2006 two areas and the last year in 2007 four areas.

 

In 2013, there was a serious global outbreak in poultry in 12 countries across four continents including eight Asian countries: Cambodia, China, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Indonesia, India and North Korea. Africa had two countries, South Africa and Egypt, affected by the outbreak. North America had only Mexico, similarly for Europe with Italy.

 

Even though in 2013 Thailand had not found any avian influenza outbreak, neighbouring countries such as Cambodia and China were the main problems delaying the reopening of Thai chicken exports to Japan last year.

 

In 2013, Thai chicken exports to Japan were 211,061 tonnes while in 2012 exports to Japan were 222,358 tonnes. The total Thai chicken exports were 525,682 tonnes and 552,361 tonnes in 2012 and 2013 respectively.

 

Saha farms is one of main chicken exporters which will return to operating their processing plant again after a shutdown of some processing lines in 2013. They are undergoing rehabilitation procedure after holding high liability at THB20,000 million or US$620 million. Saha farms had strong business operations in chicken exports, and may return to operating chicken processing again after finishing this process that will start consideration in a bankruptcy court on May 26, 2014.
 

Markets	Pricesfor whole dressed chicken as of  Mar 14 (in Thai baht/kg)	Prices for whole dressed chicken as of  Mar 21 (in Thai baht/kg)	Changes (in Thai baht/kg)
Supermarkets (Bangkok)	140-150	140-150	---
Public markets (Bangkok)	80-90	80-90	---
Public markets (Suburbs)	80-90	80-90	---
Farm gate	40	40	---
US$1=THB 32.48 (Mar 28, 2014)