Three top executives of the Betagro Group’s animal-health product section, which consists of two new companies – Anitech Total Solution and Protech Animal Health – have set a growth target of 20 per cent for next year. From left are Oranop Piansiripinyo,

Betagro Group expects its animal pharmaceutical sales to grow 20 per cent in 2007 from this year after starting two new distribution companies at the start of this year.

Sales of the company's animal-health product unit, one of the group's core businesses, reached Bt1.3 billion during the first eight months this year. It is expected that full-year sales will reach Bt2 billion of its drugs and herbal medicines.

The company launched Anitech Total Solution Co Ltd (ATS) and Protech Animal Health Co Ltd (PAH) early this year to develop new marketing channels and a distribution network, and boost sales.

"We are satisfied with the operating results of the two new companies and they will help us reach our goal," said Chayanon Kittayachaweng, senior vice president of the group's animal-health product section.

The two companies distribute products for Betagro and Better Pharma Co Ltd, both part the group's animal pharmaceutical-manufacturing unit.

Chayanon said he hoped that both ATS and PAH would allow Better Pharma to get closer to customers and thus increase its market share. There are about 300 animal-drug-makers in Thailand and Betagro Group has a 20 per cent of the market.

The firm is also aiming at doubling   to 10 the number of companies to which it sells by the end of the year.

Its Better Pharma pharmaceutical plant has a capacity of 10,895 tonnes a year.

Chayanon said the firm would focus more on exports, which currently account for less than 10 per cent of its sales.

Its main export markets are Vietnam, Burma, Cambodia, Malaysia, Philippines and South Asia.

The government is set to impose more stringent regulations for animal-health product imports.

These two firms are suppliers for foreign animal pharmaceutical companies. On an average, 30 per cent of the companies' products are from Better Pharma.

Vorachai Menark, general manager of ATS, said the company is set to distribute varieties of animal health products to serve both domestic and overseas markets.

He said ATS enjoyed revenues of Bt200 million in the first six months and should achieve Bt700 million this year.

Vorachai said the company saw widespread opportunities for animal-health products and will soon jump into the aqua business, to take advantage of high market demand.

The general manager of Protech Animal Health, Oranop Piansiripinyo, said the company was set to cater to the special demands of the animal-health product market.

"The firm aims to reach Bt500 million in revenues - 5 per cent of the market - by this year-end," he said.

The companies mainly sell to small buyers like swine, chicken, and broiler farms, egg farms, feed mills, fish hatcheries, veterinary clinics, animal hospitals, pet shops and retail stores.

Petchanet Pratruangkrai

The Nation