Charoen Pokphand Foods PLC (CPF) Chief Executive Officer Mr. Prasit Boondoungprasert insisted the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak has sent no impact on the company’s targets, thanks to business diversification and the balanced proportion of meat products. Meanwhile, CPF witnesses an increase in chicken exports to China both in terms of sale volume and prices.
CPF has invested in 16 countries and the business in Thailand generates only 28% of total sale value. Chicken and pork available in the Thai market is of similar proportion, on top of chicken eggs, ducks, sausages and ready-to-eat products. Pork prices have declined recently due to seasonally weak demand and the dumping of pork supplies on concerns about ASF, but the current prices are still above the production cost.
Meanwhile, chicken prices have been on the rise, due to greater export demand particularly from China. As China experiences pork shortages and more consumers have switched to chicken, pork and chicken prices are increasing.
The swine fever outbreak in China and Vietnam and the spread to a neighboring country raises concerns about possible cases in Thailand, but all producers in Thailand have imposed strict bio-security systems.
CPF itself has continuously exercised security measures and cooperated with the Department of Livestock Development in alerting farmers of security measures for efficient prevention.