November 24, 2003

2 Billion Baht Plan To Standardise Thailand Swine Industry Approved
 

On November 21, plans worth about two billion baht were approved to standardise the Thailand's swine industry in three years as part of the government's efforts to promote 2004 as the year of food safety.

The plans, proposed by the Agriculture Ministry, would ensure a sanitary and chemical-free production process of pork from farm to table.

According to Agriculture Minister Somsak Thepsuthin, the plans were approved by the economic policy screening committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak.

As part of the plan, all pig farms across the country will be brought up to standard by the end of next year. Their owners will be required to register with the Livestock Development Department and adopt new management.

Veterinarians are to be assigned to take responsibility for the animals at the farms.

Operators of abattoirs and pig delivery companies would also be required to register with the department by 2005 to assure of sanitary production and handling of pork.

Mr Somsak said the establishment of a centre to examine the pork quality would be completed in the next two years. It will be able to check back if and when pork is contaminated.

Other measures that have already been applied since early this year are tight checks on the import of drugs to be mixed in animal feed, controls of the use of chemicals and antibiotics, especially beta-agonists, which are harmful to humans but have been used to redden pork and reduce fat.

The cabinet in March allocated 240 million baht for the ministry to inspect pig farms.

Mr Somsak said the plans would not only enable Thailand to produce chemical-free pork for local consumption but also give a boost to the export of chilled pork and cooked meat such as bacon and sausages.

Last year, Thailand earned revenue of about 1.5 billion baht from the exports of 14,000 tons of chilled pork to Hong Kong and about 200 million baht from cooked products, mainly to Japan.

Cooked pork has higher potential as Singapore has agreed to buy processed products from Thai manufacturers with certificates from the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore.

Mr Somsak said meat manufacturers could ask for a five-year corporate tax waive from the Board of Investment to increase their export competitiveness.