Virus takes Bt6.5bn bite out of Thai chicken exports

[webfact]

Virus takes Bt6.5bn bite out of Thai chicken exports

By THE NATION

 

 

The Covid-19 crisis drove down Thai exports of processed, refrigerated and frozen chicken in 2020 to 945,000 tonnes worth Bt105 billion, from 950,000 tonnes worth Bt111.5 billion in 2019, said the Thai Broiler Processing Exporters Association on Friday.

 

“The outbreak resulted in lockdowns in Japan and the European Union, which are Thailand’s biggest markets,” said association head Kukrit Areepakorn.

 

“The situation was especially bad in Japan, since they called off the 2020 Olympic Games, meaning they cancelled orders of chicken from us that were expected to feed participants and tourists.”

 

Kukrit added that in the past year Thai chicken exporters had to increase shipment volumes to secondary markets such as China (up 82 per cent) and Singapore (up 59 per cent).

 

“The association forecasts chicken exports this year will rise 1 per cent to Bt106 billion from 950,000 tonnes, mostly due to the availability of Covid-19 vaccines in several countries,” said Kukrit.

 

“Meanwhile, after Brexit the United Kingdom will halve its import tariffs for Thai chicken outside the normal quota, while the recovering economy in China will also push up demand for Thai chicken.”

 

Among negative factors that could hit exports this year are a new wave of Covid-19, the shipping container shortage, increased freight fees and a strengthening baht, said the association.

 

“Moreover, shrinking demand during the outbreak has also lowered the price of Thai chicken in EU markets, from an average US$2,000 per tonne in 2020 to only $1,300-$1,500 per tonne in January,” added Kukrit.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30401658

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2021-01-22

 

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[ukrules]

Right, so I'm supposed to believe everyone stopped eating due to 'the virus'.

 

Perhaps the chickens are coming home to roost here.

 

Over the last 5 or 6 years everything from Thailand has increased in price massively due to the rise of the value of the Baht relative to many foreign countries all over the world.

 

This is why nobody's buying Thai products and it will only get worse over time.

 

It won't be limited to food either. Buckle up, things are getting real.

 

 

[John Drake]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Among negative factors that could hit exports this year are . . .  a strengthening baht, said the association.

 

Funny how that keeps popping up in virtually every single topic analyzing Thai financial problems. You would think somebody would do something about it. 

[ezzra]

I don't think the chicken will complain.. for once, they get to live a little bit longer and good on 'em...

[onebir]

2 minutes ago, ezzra said:

I don't think the chicken will complain.. for once, they get to live a little bit longer and good on 'em...

Joke?

[soi3eddie]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

“The situation was especially bad in Japan, since they called off the 2020 Olympic Games, meaning they cancelled orders of chicken from us that were expected to feed participants and tourists.”

 

Did they have an Olympic games in Japan in 2019, 2018, 2017... Looking for excuses for sure. I think that general consumption maybe down globally (so many restaurants closed) but the strength of the Thai Baht is probably more likely the cause. Those reduced prices must be hurting ther farmers big time. Surely there isn't that much margin that they can afford to lose 30% or more of sale price?

   

[worgeordie]

Thai chicken is not as good as it used to be, the breasts you get now

are too big,and the texture  is very solid * resulting in tough chicken,

they are under lights all the time ,so all they are doing is eating,<deleted>ting

and growing far too fast,so  there legs cannot support their weight.

*it's what i look for in a woman,but not my chicken

regards worgeordie

[soi3eddie]

29 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

Thai chicken is not as good as it used to be, the breasts you get now

are too big,and the texture  is very solid * resulting in tough chicken,

they are under lights all the time ,so all they are doing is eating,<deleted>ting

and growing far too fast,so  there legs cannot support their weight.

*it's what i look for in a woman,but not my chicken

regards worgeordie

 

20 years ago my then wife's family had a few chicken barns (before Avian Influenza stopped small scale farms). On occassions I would help out with feeding and medicating the birds. It seemed that there were quite a few early deaths in the flock and the dogs would get an extra feed. At time of "harvest" for want of a better word, the truck from B-G (a big supplier name abbreviated) would come to collect and the birds would be rounded up. Some would escape the coop but were so top heavy that their legs would not carry the weight of all the meat growth and could not run away. Quite sad to see actually.