July 16, 2010                          

 

Thailand's egg producers against more hen imports

The Chicken Egg Producers Association in Thailand has warned the government to revise its decision to allow free imports of laying hens, as it may result in a surplus of eggs in the future.

 

Chairman of the Chicken Egg Producers Association, Mongkol Pipatsatayanuwong, commented on the cabinet's decision to allow free imports of laying hens, saying that the decision will effectively lead farmers to import more hens, which may, in the long-term, result in a surplus of eggs if no import quota is implemented.

 

Mongkol said that small farmers who depend on income from chicken eggs to look after their families will be most affected. If there were to be an egg surplus, these farmers would not be able to sustain their businesses.

 

Mongkol also said that he and other chicken egg farmers are deeply concerned about the consequences of the cabinet's decision in the long run.

 

As for the high prices of chicken eggs, Mongkol believes prices have reached a peak and will not climb any higher.

 

He also pointed out that the decision will lead to about 2.5 billion more eggs produced each year, which he believes the Thai government will struggle to deal with in the future.