Sun set to resume chicken exports
Sun Group will start re-exporting frozen processed chicken in January after halting exports for three years because of the bird-flu outbreak in the region.
Initially, the company expects to export a small volume of 2,000 tonnes compared with its 30,000 tonnes in 2003 before the outbreak of the virus. The recent European Union (EU) announcement to allocate its largest import quota to Thai chicken will also enhance the company's attempts to increase its export trade. Thailand has been given a quota of 252,643 tonnes by the EU at a lower tariff than earlier announced, thanks to successful bilateral talks last week in Bangkok. Sun Group will be exporting frozen processed chicken, not frozen uncooked poultry as before, because the EU has closed the door on uncooked poultry. The group recently invested Bt200 million to add a production line for frozen processed chicken at one of its plants in Saraburi province. Sun Group president Somkiert Tangjaiaworn said the company was testing recipes and production processes both for itself and prospective international customers. Production will start early next year. He said the group had started informing its former corporate customers abroad of its export plans and product range. At the same time, it is also finding new customers, with four companies showing interest in its new products. Somkiert said it would be difficult for the company to achieve its former export volume of 30,000 tonnes in a few years. Sun Group is also working on developing new products for serving consumers in the domestic market. Late last year, it launched Gosun Hainanese chicken rice franchise and currently has about 100 franchisees nationwide. The group has added grilled chicken to the franchise recently and is developing chicken noodles, roasted chicken and lemon chicken, said Somkiert. He said the group wanted to use chicken rice as the main product to build awareness and later let consumers learn about other varieties of Gosun. Sun Group expects to achieve sales of Bt2.5 billion by next year-end. The Gosun franchise currently provides only 5 per cent of sales, with 75 per cent coming from sales to industrial manufacturers and 20 per cent from direct sales to fresh markets or supermarkets.
Nitida Asawanipont The Nation Saraburi
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