Thailand chicken exports improving - THAILAND - Thailand's chicken exports this year are expected to reach the targeted volume of 300,000 tonnes, an increase of 40 percent compared to last year due to the easing of the bird flu outbreak in the country.

Total chicken output is expected to reach 940,000 tonnes, from 900,000 last year. A large fraction of exports will be cooked products as raw poultry is still banned in export markets like Japan and Europe. More resources can be expected to be channelled into the production of cooked meat, and 500,000 tonnes are forecast to be exported over the next three years.

One of Thailand's leading chicken exporters GFPT plans to invest one billion baht to set up a new processing plant in Chon Buri this year that will boost chicken production from the current 12,000 tonnes a year to 25,000-30,000 tonnes. The investment will also be used to increase the company's monthly production of animal feed to 65,000 tonnes from 45,000 tonnes currently.

Source: eFeedLink - 6th May 2005