Thursday, February 15, 2024

Thailand becomes world’s 3rd-largest chicken exporter

Thailand exported over 100,000 tonnes of chicken worth over 100 billion BTH (2.7 billion USD) last year, making the country the world’s third-largest exporter behind Brazil and the US.

VNA Tuesday, February 13, 2024 
https://link.gov.vn/vBE94ExM

Illustrative photo (Photo: nationthailand.com)

Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand exported over 100,000 tonnes of chicken worth over 100 billion THB (2.7 billion USD) last year, making the country the world’s third-largest exporter behind Brazil and the US.

Chaweewan Kampa, President of the Poultry Promotion Association of Thailand, said Thailand’s 2023 ranking was an improvement from 4th place in 2022.

According to Chaweewan, the Thai government had export promotion measures, and quick decisions to extend the import of soybean meal under a World Trade Organisation (WTO) deal for another year, which helped solve the problem of rising price and shortage of animal feed.

The deal under the WTO’s regulations allows the import of soybean meal at 2% tariff instead of the normal rate of 119%. It also allows import of corn for animal feed at 20% tariff instead of 70% for up to 54,700 tonnes.

However, she pointed out that Thailand was still at a disadvantage due to higher production cost compared to competitors.

Both Brazil and the US are one of the world’s biggest production bases of soybean and corn for animal feed, while Thailand is struggling to meet the domestic needs, she said.

She urged the hai government to consider expanding the term under the WTO deal, especially the import quota limit, to help chicken farmers reduce cost and make Thailand’s product more competitive in the global market.

Meanwhile, Sitthiphan Thanakiatpinyo, President of the Swine Raisers Association of Thailand, said that cost for animal feed is the biggest cost for farmers, and urged the government to prioritise this issue./.

Thailand plans to triple farmers’ incomes

Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has sought approval for the upcoming fiscal budget of 411 billion THB (11.4 billion USD), more than three times higher than the previous budget, aiming to triple incomes of farmers within the next four years.

VNA Thursday, February 15, 2024 
https://link.gov.vn/BFrhXsDQ

Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has sought approval for the upcoming fiscal budget of 411 billion THB (11.4 billion USD), more than three times higher than the previous budget, aiming to triple incomes of farmers within the next four years.

Chantanon Wannakejohn, Secretary-General to the Office of Agricultural Economics, said on February 14 that the ministry is seeking this amount for its short-, medium- and long-term plans to increase farmers' incomes as they are the largest group of workers in the country.

According to Chantanon, the short-term plan will require 81.6 billion THB, which will be used to promote agro-tourism activities, find new markets, deal with fishery problems, solve debt issues, and tackle haze pollution.

It will also be utilised to set up plans responding to the environmental crisis, promote carbon neutrality, and curb meat smuggling, he added.

Chantanon said that an additional 1.4 billion THB will be needed for the medium-term plan, which is designed to introduce advanced farming technologies, such as precision farming systems.

For the management of free-trade agreement discussions with international partners, supporting new environmentally and economically-suitable crop plantations, and aiding the processing of crops, an extra 26.5 billion THB will be required, he noted.

A budget of 301.9 billion THB will be needed for the long-term plan to be allocated for improving water management and crop production and upgrading land titles for farmers.

Chantanon said this year's fiscal budget of 120.6 billion THB will be announced in the Royal Gazette by April while the fiscal budget for 2025 will be forwarded to the Budget Bureau and the cabinet for consideration./.

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