The government wants exporters to suspend egg exports until October in order to reduce the risk of a local shortage, says Vatchari Vimooktayon, the director-general of the Internal Trade Department.

Bangkok Post reports that earlier this week, Commerce Minister, Porntiva Nakasai, proposed freezing egg exports until August.

But Ms Vatchari said that besides the hot weather and southern floods, disease outbreaks have killed off a number of layers at farms in Chon Buri, Chachoengsao and Ayutthaya provinces.

She is confident that supply will be sufficient to meet domestic demand by October.

Exporters who have already secured orders will be allowed to follow through on their exports.

Narong Jiemjaibunjong, honorary president of the Hen-Egg Farmers, Traders and Exporters Association, said foreign purchasing orders were low at only six million eggs a month, mostly to Hong Kong, Africa and the Middle East. That represents a decline from 20 million a month in previous years.

Meanwhile, Ms Vatchari said an export ban on pork, the price of which has also been rising, would not be necessary.

A temporary suspension of pork exports was suggested earlier, according to Bangkok Post, but the director-general said that while supply has dropped in line with the rising domestic price, Thailand exported only 12,000 tonnes last year.

Swine breeders have agreed to maintain the price at 135 to 140 baht (THB) a kilo for the next three months. Turbulent weather and disease are being blamed for the supply decline.

Ms Vatchari said 38,000 pigs were now slaughtered each day, down by 20 per cent from normal levels. Twelve million pigs are raised each year.

The Internal Trade Department will also organise a Blue Flag campaign to sell pork for THB110 to THB per kilo at fresh markets under its purview. Under the same programme, one million eggs will be sent to markets nationwide each day for the next three months.

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