Thailand mulls cutting pig exports to control soaring pork price
Thailand is mulling cutting pig exports after PM Prayut Chan-o-cha urged action to combat the rising price of pork.
The price of fresh pork has risen to 200 baht per kilogram after the New Year break.
The pig farming industry predicts it will likely increase to 300 baht/kg soon.
On Wednesday, the government said the Agriculture and Cooperatives and Commerce ministries had discussed a short-term reduction of exports to increase domestic supply of pork and lower the price in Thailand.
For the medium to long term, the Department of Livestock Development would focus on boosting capacity of small farms, including measures to combat swine disease.
Over the past two years, several outbreaks have damaged pig production in Thailand.
However, the government forecasts pork prices will return to normal in about four months. It cited talks with agricultural and export-import companies to reduce the cost of importing animal feed and raw materials. The government said it was also helping farmers to boost corn-feed production from Thailand’s current capacity of 4 million tonnes per year to the 8 million tonnes needed to feed Thai livestock.
