September 17, 2004

Sumitomo-Betagro Joint Venture To Boost Specific Pathogen Free Pig Production
 

Thai SPF Products Co, a joint venture between Japan's Sumitomo Corporation and Thailand's Betagro Group, plans to double production of specific pathogen free (SPF) pigs to 200,000 next year in order to meet higher demand for hygienic meat.

A new farm costing around 200 million baht is being built in Prachin Buri, where controls for foot and mouth disease are very stringent, said Vasit Taepaisitphongse, the chief operating officer of Betagro Group.

Mr Vasit said the additional pig production could serve the processing business that Betagro had formed with Ajinomoto Frozen Foods Co to make cooked foods for the Japanese market.

The new investment could increase Betagro's sales revenue next year by 15%, from two billion baht expected this year.

Besides SPF pork, Betagro also raises about one million pigs under the required standard of the Agriculture Department.

"We have a plan to increase the volume of these pigs to two million over the next three years," Mr Vasit said.

The expansion would increase Betagro's total revenue from pork to 4-5 billion baht in the next three years.