July 26, 2006

Bird flu a setback for Thai poultry but exports not likely to be affected

The confirmation of a fresh outbreak of the H5N1 virus in a northern province in Thailand was a setback to the poultry industry but exports are not likely to be affected, industry officials say.

Pornsri Laurujisawat, manager of the Thai broiler processing export association, affirmed that the new outbreak would not damage exports.

Ever since countries ban fresh poultry meat on the country in 2004, Thailand's poultry processing industry have focused on cooked meat.

Cooked chicken meat exports are expected to reach 350,000 tonnes this year, up 27 percent from the 276,000 tonnes in 2005. Major markets include Japan and the EU.

Thailand had been praised by international organizations for its strong controls that prevented bird flu from recurring in recent months. However, there have been accusations of cover-ups from farmers.

The fact that the outbreak occurred in a region previously afflicted with the disease and not a fresh region allayed public fears to a certain extent. The government also said that the virus is unlikely to spread as movement bans and culling in the area have been implemented.