UAE to give “go ahead” to Thai poultry production

The plan for leading Thai companies to commence chicken production in the UAE has the potential to boost the chicken industry’s export earnings by 3.6 billion baht (US$110 million).

Shipments of Thai chicken meat were banned from entering the UAE in 2005 following the country’s new regulations requiring Halal certification from the UAE Municipality. According to deputy director of Thailand’s National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards, Somchai Channarongkul, the oppotrunity to fix the situation is now.

“Once our Halal production standards are approved, at least 40,000 tonnes of processed or heat-treated meat can be sold to GCC countries, of which 10,000 tonnes, worth 700 million baht (US$21 million) would be sold to the UAE. This could be a turning point for the Thai food industry as it would give us access to the large Halal market in 185 countries worldwide,” he says, adding that the Insitute for Halal Food Standards of Thailand has “okayed” 177 Thai companies that are producing Halal food for export.