Thailand re-exports frozen chicken to Japan

BANGKOK, February 6 (TNA) - Thailand is shipping frozen chicken to Japan, the country's first lot of re-exported poultry after Tokyo's ban, for fear of bird flu since 2004, was recently lifted. Sorawit Thaneto, Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives' Department of Livestock Development, told reporters on Wednesday that the first lot of Thai frozen chicken from Chokechai Chicken Processing Plant was ready to be re-exported to Japan, where fresh Thai poultry is, again, welcome. Sorawit acknowledged that quality of Thai poultry products is now recognised by Japan, after there has been no report of any bird flu case in the Thai Kingdom for four consecutive years. Sorawit expected that Thailand should export up to 80,000-100,000 tonnes of frozen chicken to Japan this year and should regain its largest market share of the product in Japan within the next two years, after losing the status to Brazil following the ban. Prasit Chalongchaicharn, Senior Vice President of Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited (CPF), noted, meanwhile, that the revocation of Tokyo's ban on fresh Thai chicken imports will help boost confidence in the quality Thai food product among other importing countries, including those in the Middle East and South Korea. According to the CPF senior vice president, Thailand's Department of Foreign Trade and Department of Livestock Development are negotiating with South Korea for Seoul's re-opening of its market for fresh Thai poultry, with the first lot of fresh Thai chicken expected to be shipped to the South Korean market within the next 6 months. (TNA)