Charoen Pokphand Foods Plc (CPF), the SET-listed flagship of agribusiness giant Charoen Pokphand Group, is upbeat about its duck shipments after New Zealand's decision to allow the import of cooked duck meat from Thailand.
Pisit Ohmpornnuwat, chief operating officer of the duck business, said this is the first time New Zealand has allowed imported cooked duck meat from Thailand, and CPF is the first Thai company to export it.
This reflects CPF's food safety standards and that its trading partners are certified to meet international requirements, he said.
"New Zealand has some of the most stringent restrictions for hygiene and food safety," said Mr Pisit. "The country's sanitary and phytosanitary measures for food and agricultural goods have the highest level, but CPF successfully complied with them."
Entry to the export market happened as a result of successful negotiations between the governments of the two countries starting in 2015, which aimed to tackle trade obstacles related to food safety and technical problems concerning New Zealand's import health standards.
He said CPF is seriously committed to implementing world-class standards, which meet New Zealand's stringent criteria. The company's poultry has been farmed under the compartment system, which is guaranteed by the World Organisation for Animal Health to prevent the bird flu virus. This guarantee has helped convince some of CPF's potential clients of its food safety quality.
Prasert Anuchiracheewa, senior vice-president of CPF, said the first export lot of ready-to-cook duck products will arrive in New Zealand later this month.
The EU has been the company's main export market of duck products and it expects the market will continue growing this year. Export markets for fresh duck meat include Japan and Hong Kong, while ready-to-cook duck product exports primarily head to the UK and Singapore.
The company's fresh duck meat and processed products export total is forecast to reach 4,621 tonnes worth 947 million baht this year, a growth of 20-25% from a year before.
"It is a milestone for CPF to export duck meat to New Zealand after the two countries worked to develop the quality to meet global standards. This provides encouragement to the company that it can further upgrade Thailand's livestock industry to serve consumers worldwide," said Mr Prasert. "CPF is considering potential export markets such as Australia."
CPF shares closed yesterday on the Stock Exchange of Thailand at 27.75 baht, down 25 satang, in trade worth 699 million baht.