Thailand’s pork shortage spurs demand for chicken – as China, South Korea, the Philippines halt Canadian beef imports over mad cow disease

Thailand’s pork supply has fallen around 30 per cent over the past year amid Covid-19 restrictions and curbs to prevent the spread of African swine fever

Elsewhere, the discovery of a case of mad cow disease in Canada prompted China, South Korea and the Philippines to temporarily suspend Canadian beef imports

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A customer considers cuts of pork at a meat market in Bangkok on Monday. Pork prices have soared in Thailand amid concerns about an African swine fever outbreak. Photo: AFP

Published: 3:12pm, 12 Jan 2022Updated: 4:28pm, 12 Jan 2022

Demand for chicken in Thailand is soaring as more diners opt for the meat, amid a severe shortage of pork that has seen prices double – as other Asian countries have halted imports of Canadian beef following discovery of mad cow disease.

Thailand’s pork supply has fallen around 30 per cent after production was reduced over the past year because of Covid-19 restrictions on dining and travel, measures to prevent the spread of African swine fever and rising feed prices.

That means more Thais are turning to chicken as a protein source, including restaurants known for their pork menus. Kaw Moo Rama 5, which is near Bangkok, said that it is now selling almost only chicken dishes because of high pork prices. Other restaurants are raising the prices of their pork dishes or reducing portions.

A man prepares roast chicken while standing in floodwaters following heavy rains in the southern Thai province of Narathiwat last month. Photo: AFP

Thailand’s Department of Internal Trade announced on Tuesday that it would freeze chicken prices for at least six months to keep food prices in check. In the longer term, the government said it plans to increase chicken and pork production to keep up with demand. Thailand last week imposed a three-month ban on hog exports to cool prices.

No similar measures have yet been announced for poultry. Thailand, a major exporter of chicken, produces about 2.9 million tonnes of the meat annually, with about 1.3 million tonnes consumed domestically, and any restrictions on exports would have a major impact on importers of Thai poultry.

Meanwhile, the discovery of a case of mad cow disease has prompted China, South Korea and the Philippines to temporarily suspend imports of beef from Canada, where an “atypical” case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) was found.