Despite strong earnings, trade sources report that integrated poultry producers are expanding their farming and processing facilities in a cautious manner.

The restrained approach is due to several breeding and broiler farms experiencing New Castle disease outbreak in 2014.

As a result, chicken meat production is estimated to grow only modestly by five per cent annually in 2014 and 2015.

So far in 2014, integrated processors’ profitability remains favorable at their operation of processing for export and domestic market since higher production costs are well offset by favorable prices for chicken meat.

Chicken meat exports for 2014 should grow by five per cent to 530,000 metric tons (MT) compared to 504,376 MT in 2013.

About 80 per cent of total exports in 2014 are expected to consist of cooked chicken meat products.

Thai chicken meat exports are forecast to further increase by six per cent to 560,000 MT in 2015 in anticipation of growing export demand.