Bird flu outbreaks help boost Thai chicken exports: Think tank

BANGKOK, February 8 (TNA) - Thailand is expected to export more chicken in 2015 following an outbreak of bird flu in several countries since late last year, according to a report issued by Kasikorn Research Centre (KResearch). The deadly disease has been found in several countries including China, Japan, the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, Egypt and Nigeria. Several countries have already imposed an import ban on chicken from these countries, the report said. The ban could help push Thailand’s chicken exports this year if the deadly disease does not occur in the country, it said, adding that confidence in Thai chicken would be further boosted as South Korea is likely to lift its import ban Thai fresh and frozen chicken in the middle of this year. KResearch projected that Thailand would earn about 2.41 billion U.S. dollars from export of frozen and processed chicken in 2015, up 4.5 per cent from last year. The think tank, however, said that current appreciation of Thai baht, especially, against the Japanese yen and the euro remained a negative factor for Thai chicken exports this year. (TNA)