CP Foods to invest in expansion, acquisitions

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  CP Foods plans to expand its international operations and overseas acquisitions.

  From WATTAgNet:
  Charoen Pokphand Foods PCL, Thailand’s largest meat and animal feed producer, plans to spend THB20 billion-25 billion (US$614 million-767 million) this year, mostly to expand its international operations and overseas acquisitions.
  Aiming to meet the company’s sales growth target of 10 percent per year, it will keep its annual investment budget at that level over the next five years. Two-thirds of CP Foods’ revenue comes from overseas markets, where it is aiming for revenue growth of 15 percent. It is focused on high-growth markets in Japan, Russia, South Korea and the Philippines.
  CP Foods plans to spin off the non-core assets of its Hong Kong-listed CP Pokphand, and put the new entity on the Hong Kong stock exchange near midyear.
  The company’s shrimp and farm businesses have taken hits this year, but it expects to recover in those two areas in the second quarter. CP Foods’ farm business accounts for 35 percent of sales, but has been hurt by price volatility and excess supply.
  Its shrimp business was affected by Early Mortality Syndrome and higher European Union tariffs on Thai frozen shrimp. CP Foods will focusing on customers in China and Australia, while its Vietnam unit will export to Europe.

First poultry course at new CPF Sikhiu learning center in Thailand

Adirek Sripratak, right, president and chief executive officer of CPF, officially opens the Sikhiu learning center. Sripratak also visited the first course held at the center and presented a plaque commemorating the close cooperation between Cobb and CPF.
Forty CPF employees in poultry production from 13 countries attended a 12-day intensive poultry management course organized by CPF Thailand and Cobb Asia at its newly opened Sikhiu learning center. Specialists from the Cobb World Technical Support Team covered all aspects of production including parent rearing, breeder management, broiler management, hatchery management, environment control, nutrition and processing.
Even though most of attendees hold senior positions managing parent stock and broiler farms, they all advanced their knowledge of Cobb genetic improvements which continue to increase performance potential in all areas of production.
"The event showed us the great extent of time and resources invested in developing such high quality products and, more importantly, in Cobb technical expertise in production management in hot and cold climates," said Jirapath Kitithanapat, course director.
"This was a great opportunity for our attendees to learn from the global leader in broiler breeding.  We have expanded our business extensively throughout the world and each country has its own way of operating.  Inevitably we face individual problems from farm to farm, and Cobb showed us many examples of how they had overcome such issues."
Duncan Granshaw, Cobb general manager added: "We were honored to be asked to lead this course and highly value the friendship we've developed with CPF over the past few years.  It is evident from their investment in this learning center that they are committed to getting the most advantage from the genetics that Cobb provides."

Diamond V celebrates new layer research unit’s ribbon cutting

Representatives from the government of Thailand, Kasetsart University and Diamond V celebrate the opening of Diamond V Layer Research Unit at the university's animal science learning center in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand. 
Diamond V celebrated the ribbon cutting  and opening ceremony for the new Diamond V Layer Research Unit in the Animal Science Learning Center of the Department of Animal Science on the Kamphaeng Saen Campus of Kasetsart University in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand. Diamond V is the world's leading supplier of microbial fermentation products used to optimize digestive function and nutrition key to animal and aqua health, productivity, efficiency and profitability.
"This facility continues the well-established dedication of Diamond V to conducting high-quality research whose significant insights can advance the operations of livestock producers," said Mark Kujawa, Ph.D., vice president of international business development at Diamond V.
"This new Diamond V Layer Research Unit increases our ability to conduct research in a tropical environment with poultry indigenous to southeast Asia for the benefit of area poultry producers.  The unit's sponsorship also expands our ability to conduct broiler and swine research in other units in the Animal Science Learning Center for the betterment of Asian producers," said Kujawa.
The Diamond V Layer Research Unit is located approximately 90 kilometers west of Bangkok. It sits next to new units for layer, broiler, swine and cattle research; a biogas unit; feed mill; laboratory and office in the expansive Animal Science Learning Center.
The center provides training for undergraduate and graduate students in livestock production under tropical conditions.  It recognizes that trends in livestock production are directly influenced by changes in global economic, political, climate and consumer demands. Good training and preparation are seen as needed to establish a strong and sustainable livestock industry.

Thailand broiler exports expected to grow in 2013

Despite the outlook of a decline in broiler meat production in 2013, Thailand’s broiler meat exports should grow 7 percent to 580,000 metric tons, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's latest report.
Most of the growth is expected to take place in markets other than the EU and Japan, including ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries Hong Kong, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and South Africa. The EU and Japan will remain Thailand’s major markets, accounting for about 75–80 percent of total exports. Thailand could dramatically increase its exports of uncooked chicken meat if Japan and South Korea lift their bans on the import of uncooked Thai broiler meat, according to the USDA. Countries that have already lifted their highly pathogenic avian influenza bans on Thai uncooked frozen chicken meat include the EU, Hong Kong, South Africa, Bahrain and Russia.
Based on the export performance of the first half of 2012 and the fact that the EU lifted its ban on Thai uncooked broiler meat, total chicken meat exports are unofficially estimated to reach 540,000 metric tons, up 15 percent from the 2011 level. Thailand is expected to export 40,000–50,000 metric tons of uncooked products to the EU in the second half of 2012, thus increasing total exports of uncooked products to 100,000–110,000 metric tons. The remaining exports (430,000–440,000 metric tons) consist of cooked products.
Since the EU lifted its ban of Thai uncooked broiler meat, Thailand gained about 92,610 metric tons of the EU’s quota for uncooked salted poultry meat and 5,100 metric tons for the uncooked unsalted poultry meat. The in-quota tariff rate is 15.4 percent, while the out of quota rate will be €1,300/ton, according to the USDA.

Thailand poultry exporters income to increase after EU ban lifted

Thailand's poultry exporters could earn as much as Bt10 billion (US$322.14 million) in extra income in 2012 after the European Union's decision to lift its eight-year ban on the imports of fresh chicken meat from Thailand, effective July 1.
The ban lift came from the country's stringent measures to contain any possible bird flu outbreaks and its improved laboratory system, according to a senior official with the EU Commission. No bird flu has been reported in Thailand for more than three consecutive years.
Thailand's annual poultry quota granted by the EU is 92,610 metric tons, but it has been unable to use that quota due to the ban. The country is also trying to open the Japanese and Korean markets to increase its export volume. Current estimates put exports to the EU at 50,000 metric tons of fresh chicken meat, for Bt4 billion (US$128.86 million).

Thai poultry farm plans production expansion

Thailand poultry producer Saha Farms Group has mapped out a Bt15 billion (US$489.4 million) plan to expand its production capacity in order to meet higher import demand, according to the company.
The company's export volume rose from 70,000 metric tons in 2009 to 110,000 metric tons in 2010, and is expected to continue its upward trend, said company President and CEO Manoonsri Chotitawan.
Thai frozen chicken exports had been suffering from a five-year ban due to an avian flu outbreak; only processed chicken has been exported during that time. Now, said Chotitawan, Thailand's chicken exports have the opportunity to double in volume, taking back business lost to frozen chicken in Japan.
Overall, Thailand's export growth is expected to increase by 15%, to US$219 billion, in 2011.

Cargill expanding Thailand poultry processing business

Cargill has announced plans for an expansion of the company's poultry processing operations in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
The US$110 million project will increase the location's existing hatchery, breeder farm, processing plant and egg farm operations. According to Cargill, the processing plant will add 40,000 metric tons of chicken meat to annual output, the breeder farm will add 366,600 birds a year, the hatchery will produce an additional 43 million chicks per year and egg operations will expand by roughly 21 million eggs.
The expansion, expected to take two years, will add 2,000 jobs to the area.

Thailand may suspend egg exports, freeze domestic prices

Thailand is considering a temporary ban on chicken egg exports coinciding with a freeze on domestic egg prices to help stabilize the market, according to government officials.
The ban, which could last up to six months if implemented, is a response to a recent drop in production and rising feed prices that have combined to significantly increase retail prices of eggs in the domestic market. Production has declined by 3 million eggs a day as a result of heavy floods that hit chicken farms in the southern part of Thailand, exacerbated by hot weather in other areas that caused poultry disease outbreaks resulting in layers' deaths, according to reports.
Thailand exports around 20 to 30 million eggs a month, according to the Hen-Egg Farmers, Traders and Exporters Association. Domestic consumption of eggs averages 25 million a day

Thailand gains in poultry feed in 2010

Poultry was the growth sector of the feed business in Thailand in 2010, with members of the Thai Feed Mills Association manufacturing 4.51 million metric tons of feeds for broilers and 2.13 million metric tons for laying hens, out of a total production for all species of 12.84 million metric tons.
Figures from the association show annual growth rates of 7.3% for broiler feeds and 6.5% for layer diets by comparison with 2009. They also point to rises since 2005 of 38.3% and 15.1% for broiler feeds and layer feeds, respectively. Between 2009 and 2010, the all-feeds production of association members fell by 4.1%, although the 2010 total still meant a 21.4% increase since 2005.

Japan to consider resumption of Thai poultry imports

Japan should end its import ban on Thai fresh chicken products because Thailand has not had an H5N1 influenza case in more than a year, Thai Agriculture Minister Theera Wongsamut told his Japanese counterpart, Hirotaka Akamatsu, in a recent meeting.
The Thai News Agency reported that Akamatsu said his country would make a decision after sending inspectors to Thailand to evaluate disease control measures among poultry.
Japan halted Thai fresh chicken imports in 2004 during an avian influenza outbreak in Thailand that eventually killed 17 people.