September 3, 2004

Thailand's Association of Poultry Exporters Find Creative Way Around Russia's Import Ban

Thailand has offered to exchange 250 thousand tons of poultry for a pursuit plane of the Russian holding Sukhoi, according to the Thai association of poultry exporters.

Thailand has had problems with poultry exports ever since bird flu swept across Asia early this year. Experts estimate that poultry exports from Thailand will fall by 60 percent to about 200 thousand tons in comparison with 2003. It will be Thailand's lowest export index in recent eight years.

However Russia has banned the import of live chickens, eggs, poultry products, chicken seed, as well as the poultry-farm equipment from several Asian countries, including Thailand.

A statement from the association of poultry exporters of Thailand said that Thai and Russian officials would conduct negotiations regarding the issue of poultry in exchange for a Su-brand pursuit plane.

The talks will reportedly take place in Moscow on September 5 - 8. Thai specialists did not specify the exact model of the plane.

According to experts' estimates, the annual consumption of poultry in Russia amount to around two million tons. Russia imports about 50 percent of poultry, and the USA is the largest poultry supplier to Russia.