Thailand eyes bigger share of EU poultry import quota

The EU will be setting a new import quota for poultry and Thailand wants a higher quota, arguing the same level of quota is unfair for the country.

The EU wants to calculate its chicken quota based on combined export statistics for all countries, while Thailand and Brazil want the quota based on country-specific export statistics.

The delay in the EU's chicken quota may cause difficulties for Thai chicken exports early this year, said an official from the Commerce Ministry.

The same quota volume is unfair for Thailand as it is one of the leading chicken suppliers to the EU market, said the official.

China and Chile, which are Thailand's rivals, will be the big winners from the new allocation system if the EU refuses to use the country-specific system, the official said.

Thai processed chicken exported to the EU has now almost reached the quota for 2009. Thailand may be handed a lower export quota under the new system, the official said.

The EU's processed chicken quota for Thailand is 160,033 tonnes, which are taxed at 10.2%. For chicken over the quota, the duty could be more than 50% so as to prevent the EU market from oversaturation.

The EU, at 40%, is the largest export market for Thai chicken.

Thai and Brazilian chicken exporters would soon send a letter to the European Commission asking it to consider calculating the chicken quota based on each individual country's export statistics, the official said, adding that the talks and a new quota should be finalised in three months.