48 tonnes of pork was exported by Thailand to Russia, becoming the first shipment of Thai pork to the Russian market
Pitipong Phuengboon Na Ayudhaya, agriculture and cooperatives minister of Thailand, revealed that the move followed an inspection of Thailand’s livestock production process by Russian officials, and Moscow later approved to import fresh meat produced from a processing plant in the Bang Khla area of Chachoengsao Province, east of Bangkok.
Ayudhaya stressed that although the first consignment of pork was only 48 tonnes, the shipment has historic significance as it opens the Russian pork market to Thailand.
Ayuth Harintaranon, acting director general of the department of livestock development of Thailand, said, “Thailand hopes to export 60,000 tonnes of pork to Russia annually while Russia’s demand is forecasted at one million tonnes a year.”
Gen Chatchai Sarikulya, commerce minister of Thailand, added that Thai pork exports in 2015 would exceed by four to five per cent, which would also add to the GDP of the country.
