Thai poultry producers have exhorted the government to negotiate an increase to export quotas with the European Union. According to Keukrit Areepakorn, director of the Thai Broiler Processing Exporters Association (TBPEA), export predictions for the Thai poultry industries are favourable: he expects poultry exports for the year to reach 400,000 tons, thanks to high demand. The TBPEA director said that even though Thai poultry exports saw a decline in purchase orders, they are still at an acceptable level: Thai poultry is currently selling for an average price of US$6,000 to 7,000 per ton, down from $8,000 to 9,000 last year.
Mr Keukrit noted that if the EU market relinquishes itself from restrictions imposed by the World Trade Organization, it could completely eliminate trade quotas. For this reason the Thai Broiler Processing Exporters Association is pushing the Thai government to negotiate with the European Union on a free trade deal for poultry.
