January 17, 2017
Thai ministry optimistic of poultry exports in 2017
According to agriculture minister Chatchai Sarikulya in a report by the Bangkok Post, the ministry is optimistic Thailand will be able to ship 750,000 tonnes of poultry worth 96 billion baht (US$2.71 billion) this year, up from 720,000 tonnes worth 92 billion baht in 2016.
"The government expects 2017 to be a good year for Thailand's poultry industry," Mr. Chatchai said. "South Korea has already lifted a 12-year ban on Thai chicken imports, while Singapore has allowed 20 qualified Thai factories to export fresh poultry. On the back of the global economic recovery, the ministry's responsible officials are set to hold talks with many importing countries to raise exports as much as possible."
Mr. Chatchai added that since Thailand's bird flu outbreak in 2004, the country's Livestock Development Department has been working closely with the poultry industry to not only address the bird flu issue, but also develop and upgrade standards for poultry.
The standards cover animal feed, the farming system, quarantine rules, the disease control system, and processing factories.
Singapore earlier this year granted 20 more Thai frozen chicken factories for export. This will likely result in an increase of more than 5,000 tonnes of chicken exports worth about 400 million baht.
And in November last year, South Korea lifted a 12-year ban on Thai chicken imports. 12 plants gained permission from South Korean officials for imports, including three owned by CP Foods, two by Betagro and one by the Thai poultry division of US-based Cargill.
