Thai cooked chicken exports seen to soar in 2005 - THAILAND - Thailand's cooked chicken exports are expected to grow 81% from 193,000 tonnes in 2004 to reach 350,000 tonnes in 2005. This comes after Japan approved imports from more Thai chicken processing factories.

According to the president of the Thai Broiler Processing Exporters Association, Anan Sirimongkolkasem, Japan now accepts imports from 48 Thai broiler-processing factories, meaning that more Thai cooked chicken can enter the Japanese market.

Japanese officials had visited Thailand in late January to inspect and approve more processing plants. In 2004, Japanese officials visited the country twice and approved around 33 factories.

Anan expected Thai cooked chicken exports to Japan to almost double to 180,000 tonnes in 2005, from around 98,000 tons in 2004.

The increase in exports to Japan will help boost total Thai cooked chicken exports to 350,000 tons this year.

Japan banned chicken imports from Thailand after the bird flu outbreak was confirmed here last January. It later approved imports of cooked Thai chicken, but only from processing plants that meet Japan's hygiene standards. Japan is the largest importer of Thai chicken and chicken products.

Japan and other importing countries, including the European Union, which is the second largest buyer of Thai chickens, have yet to lift import bans on uncooked Thai chickens.

Source: eFeedLink - 9th March 2005