Thai poultry exporters have urged the government to negotiate with the European Union on a free trade deal to maintain its import quota, according to Thailand Outlook.

According to Keukrit Areepakorn, director of the Thai Broiler Processing Exporters Association (TBPEA), the outlook for Thai poultry industries to both domestic and international markets remains bright. He expects poultry exports for the year to reach 400,00 tons, thanks to high demand.

Mr Keukrit observed that if the European Union resolves to increase taxes on eight poultry products, keeping in line with the World Trade Organization's rules, the move could have an affect on poultry imports from Thailand. He therefore urged the government to negotiate a free trade agreement for poultry with the EU.

Meanwhile, Mr Keukrit commented on the Japanese market, saying that demand for Thai processed poultry remains stable. Thai poultry is currently selling for an average price of US$6,000 to 7,000 per ton, down from $8,000 to 9,000 last year.

He believes that even though Thai poultry exports saw a decline in purchase orders, they are still at an acceptable level.

The TBPEA director said his office will need to factor in demand, the baht's value and the global petrol prices to calculate estimates for next year.

As for the domestic market, he said 920 million chickens are set to hit the market this year. He also noted that the price of chicken will drop slightly during the vegetarian festival.