Illustrative photo (Photo: nationthailand.com)Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand exported over100,000 tonnes of chicken worth over 100 billion THB (2.7billion USD) lastyear, making the country the world’s third-largest exporter behindBrazil and the US.
ChaweewanKampa, President of the Poultry Promotion Association of Thailand, said Thailand’s 2023 ranking was an improvement from 4th place in2022.
According to Chaweewan, the Thai government had exportpromotion measures, and quick decisions to extend the import of soybean meal under aWorld Trade Organisation (WTO) deal for another year, which helped solve theproblem of rising price and shortage of animal feed.
Thedeal under the WTO’s regulations allows the import of soybean meal at 2% tariffinstead of the normal rate of 119%. It also allows import of corn for animalfeed at 20% tariff instead of 70% for up to 54,700 tonnes.
However, she pointed out that Thailand was stillat a disadvantage due to higher production cost compared to competitors.
BothBrazil and the US are one of the world’s biggest production bases of soybeanand corn for animal feed, while Thailand is struggling to meet the domesticneeds, 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 makeThailand’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 thegovernment to prioritise this issue./.
