October 24, 2023

Thai swine farmers seek urgent meeting with government to combat illegal pork imports

The Swine Raisers Association of Thailand is taking action to request a meeting with the country's Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Thamanat Prompow, aiming to expedite efforts to crack down on the illegal import of swine carcasses and pork products, Pattaya Mail reported.

President of the association, Surachai Sutthitham, has urged the minister to accelerate the crackdown on illegal pork, as initially pledged on his first day at the Ministry of Agriculture. The minister's commitment was to eliminate influential figures involved in smuggling illegal pork within a month, with the deadline set for October 20.

It is believed that illegal pork continues to flood the market, exerting significant pressure on pork prices at the farm level, ultimately leading to a notable price decline. Presently, pork prices have hit their lowest point in 30 years, with live swine prices fluctuating between THB 58 to THB 66 per kg, varying by region.

These prices substantially fall below the estimated production costs, which averaged THB 80.79 per kg in the third quarter of 2023, as calculated by Thailand's Pig Development and Product Policy Board (PDPB). As a result, swine farmers are grappling with losses of approximately THB 3,000 to THB 4,000 per head, forcing numerous small and medium-scale farmers to cease operations.

-      Pattaya Mail