Thai poultry exports are likely to continue their growth this year as many countries restrict imports of US poultry in light of a bird flu outbreak.
Prasit Chalongchaichan, executive vice-president of Charoen Pokphand Foods Plc (CPF), said foreign purchase orders have increased consistently for the SET-listed flagship of agribusiness giant Charoen Pokphand Group, after bird flu was reported in many countries, including the US, the world's second-largest poultry exporter.
South Korea on Monday restricted imports of US poultry and eggs after a strain of H7 bird flu virus was confirmed on Sunday at a chicken farm in Tennessee.
Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong are also expected to follow suit to block poultry from the US.
More importantly, Mr Prasit said, South Korea itself is also suffering a bird flu problem, opening more room for Thai poultry shipments to the country.
South Korea was reported to have culled some 50,000 farm birds as two cases of bird flu were confirmed on Wednesday, bringing the country's cull this winter to nearly 35 million -- more than a fifth of the country's total stock -- since the first bird flu case was reported late last year.
"Thailand's poultry exports are promising, while the Livestock Development Department has tightened the inspection of all poultry production processes to ensure maximum safety in Thai poultry shipments," he said.
CPF expects its outbound shipments for both cooked and frozen chicken products to South Korea to rise to more than 10,000 tonnes this year from 3,000 tonnes in 2016.
Last year, CPF shipped a total of 130,000 tonnes of poultry, mainly to Asia and Europe, with that figure forecast to rise by 15-20% this year.
CPF said Thailand last year shipped a total of 740,000 tonnes of poultry products, fetching 96 billion baht, up 8.8% and 9.1% respectively.
This year, the company forecasts overall poultry shipments rising to 780,0000 tonnes, worth 110 billion baht.
CPF projects its revenue will grow by 10% this year from 464 billion baht in 2016.