Import of poultry products from Japan resumes, except five prefectures

//05 Jul 2011
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department in Hong Kong announced that importing poultry meat and eggs from Japan (excluding Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma and Chiba Prefectures) will resume.
Following an outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 in the city of Miyazaki, Miyazaki Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan, the CFS suspended the processing of applications for such imports last January.

"In view of the control measures taken by the country during the outbreak of avian flu in the city of Miyazaki, and the fact that there are no other reported cases of avian influenza, we decide to resume processing applications," a spokesman for the CFS said.

"However, the prohibition, imposed after the Fukushima nuclear plant incident, by the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene on the import of some specified food including poultry and poultry eggs produced in Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma and Chiba Prefectures, remains effective," the spokesman said.
Poultry and poultry eggs will be excluded from the ban if they are certified by the competent authority of Japan that the radiation levels do not exceed the standards laid down by the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
"Restrictions have not yet been lifted for those five prefectures, and we are monitoring the situation there," he said.

Source: 7th Space

Thai poultry exports to Japan to be increased

//29 Jun 2011
Director-General of the Department of Trade Negotiations, Nantawan Sakuntanak disclosed that International Trade Promotion Office in Japan had reported the case of a poultry factory in Nakhon Ratchasima which had dissected death chicken to be sold at cheaper prices. The case had no adverse effect on Thai processed poultry exports to Japan.
Japan is confident with the product’s quality, given the fact that Japan is well known for its utmost sanitation with tough standard inspection on food safety.

Moreover the importers and Japanese poultry imports association trusted the quality and safety standards of processed poultry in Thailand since the production process of Thailand is being controlled thoroughly to be in line with “food safety” policy.

Consequently, the rise in production has satisfied Japan’s consumers who wish to buy in large quantities. Meanwhile China’s products are found to be contaminated sporadically.

Bird flu threat
Ms. Amphawan Pichalai, Director of the International Trade Promotion Office in Japan said that Thailand was still one of the countries with potential in spreading bird flu virus.

However, Japan was in a stage of high demand of poultry therefore it had no options but to rely on Brazil in frozen chicken, while imports of processed chicken from Thailand were on the rise.

Frozen chicken
The market would grow further if Japan turned to import frozen chicken from Thailand. She observed that Japan normally followed EU in trade policy and Thailand should lobby for frozen chicken to enter EU first.

Japan delays corn imports 17 Mar 2011

Japanese corn importers are delaying the purchase of the grain after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami damaged ports in the nation’s northeast, suspending unloading operations from vessels, said Nobuyuki Chino, president of Unipac Grain Ltd.

Betagro and JV partners launch new sausage facility

//14 Mar 2011
Betagro and its Japanese joint-venture partners Itoham Foods and Ajinomoto (Thailand) Co., have launched their third new sausage production factory at Betagro Food Complex 2 in Lop Buri’s Phatthana Nikhom district.
The new facility is to produce 3,400 tonnes – increasing to 5,000 tonne s of sausages, within three years, with the bulk of production destined for Japan – while some sausages will be
marketed domestically and shipped to other south east Asian countries.


The Betagro Group and Itoham Foods own 40% each, Ajinomoto (Thailand) 15%
and Itoham subsidiary Hoei Co. 5%