December 9, 2005

Charoen Pokphand expects Thai chicken exports up in 2006
 

Charoen Pokphands Food PCL, a major Thai chicken exporter, said it expects Thai exports of cooked chicken to rise 40 percent in 2006 to 400,000 tonnes, with an estimated value of THB50 billion.

"Order numbers for Thai cooked chicken products for 2006 have already been coming in, and we expect the 2006 outlook to improve for the cooked-chicken exporting industry," CPF President and Chief Executive Adirek Sripratak said in a press release.

Confidence in the safety of Thai chicken products has been improving among foreign customers thanks to the government's stringent measures to prevent a bird flu epidemic, Adirek said.

The price of chicken on the domestic market has also climbed to THB27/kilogramme, from THB24/kilogramme at the end of October.

Charoen Pokphand, which operates closed farms, expects its 2005 full-year exports to be on target at 80,000 tonnes, up 32 percent on-year. The company also expects 2006 exports to total 110,000 tonnes, according to the statement.