BANGKOK, April 21 – The Commerce Ministry has called on Thai private sector to build up the brand of Thai chicken for export to the same level as the widely-accepted “Aussie Beef.”
Nantawan Sakuntanak, director-general of the Foreign Trade Department, said Thai exporters of fresh and processed chicken should continuously promote and create understanding on the taste, quality and safety of Thai products among foreign consumers.
If possible, a Thai brand similar to Aussie Beef should be created for foreign markets, she said.
Thailand is a major world producer of chicken, she said.
Japan’s lifting its ban on import of poultry from Thailand last December contributed to rising supplies from the kingdom being available, particularly during the recent poultry shortage in Japan due to the bird flu pandemic, she said.
Phatai Sooksommai, director of Thailand’s Foreign Trade Office in Tokyo, said the retail and non-manufacturing sectors have extensively expanded.
Operators of three major convenience store chains in Japan plan an increase of 4,500 outlets this year and 4,800 outlets next year, he said.
The non-manufacturing sector in Japan represented 60 per cent of the total investment last year which saw a 9.7 per cent growth from 2012, he said, while the value of non-manufacturing investment was 5.67 trillion yen and manufacturing investment 3.68 trillion yen in 2012.
He said the increase of the value added tax, starting early this month, has impacted household consumption and it may consequently affect the non-manufacturing sector which is the driving force for investment in Japan.
