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COUNTRY MANAGERS
(Feed additives, positions in India, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam)
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SPOTLIGHT
Insight into the quail industry in the Philippines
Price fluctuations and poor genetics are just two of the challenges faced by Philippine quail egg producers. The largely unorganised industry, the bulk of which is located in the Central Luzon provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga, remains dominated by small farms. Production systems continue to be traditional, with few veterinary practitioners and nutritionists involved in the industry. Furthermore there has been no upgrade in genetics, leading to concerns about the possibility of inbreeding among the existing stocks. However, Nick de Leon, who owns one of the bigger quail farms in Bulacan, told Asian Agribiz that while Metro Manila is already a well-developed market, demand is still on the rise especially in other parts of the country. However, with the industry concentrated in Luzon, the logistics of bringing the eggs to Visayas and Mindanao still has to be addressed. More in the July issue of Asian Poultry Magazine.
| Betagro to boost exports to HK
[21 May 2013] Betagro Group plans to boost its export of chilled and processed meat products to Hong Kong by 55% this year. According to Vasit Taepaisitphongse, Chief Operating Officer, Betagro first shipped its chilled pork under its S-Pure brand to Hong Kong in 2009. Then it started to ship chilled poultry, eggs and sausage under its Better Food brand. Since then sales have expanded by 570%. “Betagro exports 240 tonnes of chilled meat products to Hong Kong annually. This year we hope to see sales grow by 55% particularly for chilled poultry products under our S-Pure brand,” Mr Vasit said.
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| USSEC continues marketing efforts
[21 May 2013] American Soybean Association – International Marketing (ASA-IM) is now be known as the US Soybean Export Council (USSEC). Speaking at the Grains Transportation Conference in Bali yesterday, Chairman of the Board of USSEC Randy Mann stated, “Having a single identity globally will allow us to demonstrate the alignment of the US soy family’s international marketing efforts on behalf of the US soy growers and industry and USDA.” In Southeast Asia, Regional Director Southeast Asia of USSEC John Lindblom said, “We will continue to serve our customers with the same philosophy and people as ASA-IM Southeast Asia.”
| Indonesia to revitalise cattle slaughterhouses
[21 May 2013] Indonesia's beef self-sufficiency program could achieve its target by 2014, as the government will revitalize 43 cattle slaughterhouses in several locations such as Jabodetabek (Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi), East Java, Bali, and West and East Nusa Tenggara. “This revitalisation is aimed at producing quality beef as well as encouraging cattle and beef importers to buy more local cattle,” said Fauzi Luthan, Livestock Production Director of Indonesia’s Ministry of Agriculture.
| New markets for Philippine poultry producer
[21 May 2013] Ana’s Breeder Farm Inc, a poultry producer based in Davao City, Philippines, will export chicken parts to Brunei, Japan and Hong Kong in the third quarter of this year, a report by BusinessWorld said. The company will ship choice barbecue cuts to Japan and chicken feet to Hong Kong, said the company’s human resource manager, Joefrey Olacrit. To meet volume requirements, he said the farm will also triple its production from the present 4000 heads/month to 1 million heads/monthly in the coming years. Since last year, the farm has been expanding its poultry facilities with emphasis on breeding and hatchery operations.
| List of fraudsters to deter food safety violations
[21 May 2013] The city of Shanghai is compiling a list of fraudulent food traders targeted for law enforcement after a series of meat frauds emerged nationwide. Together with this blacklist officials are creating a food tracking system to deal with severe food chain transparency issues after the recent dumping of 15,000 dead pigs in the Huangpu River. These steps are seen as positive as the industry starts to consolidate moving from small businesses to larger enterprises. However food manufacturers and traders are asking for better enforcement and stricter labelling laws to deter food safety violations.
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| Japfa considers new feedmill in Central Sulawesi
[20 May 2013] Division Head Area I of Japfa Comfeed Indonesia, Yahya Djanggola said the company may build a feedmill in Central Sulawesi if the local government can provide 100,000 ha of land to produce corn. “We can build the feedmill anytime, but corn is the key.” Mr Djanggola added that Central Sulawesi's feed supply currently comes from East Java and South Kalimantan.
| CPF extends ‘Animal Welfare’ concept
[20 May 2013] Thailand's Charoen Pokphand Foods Plc (CPF) is building two new pig farms that comply with ‘Animal Welfare’ standards. Somporn Jermpong, Senior Vice President Pig Business said the company plans to build these farms in Ubon Ratchathani and Chachoengsao provinces. "Each farm will have 2400 sows and will cost USD 3.3 million each. They are scheduled for completion by the end of this year,” Mr Somporn explained. They will be similar to the first ‘Animal Welfare’ farm in Chonburi province which came on-stream in May this year. At these farms, sows are not forced to live in gestation stalls but have free space to move around.
| USD36m for agri development in Myanmar
[20 May 2013] The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), a specialized agency of the UN, has pledged USD 36 million for agricultural development in Myanmar. Minister of Agriculture Myint Hlaing met IFAD representatives in Naypyidaw last week and signed an agreement to make the loans to Alliance Stars, which owns a cattle farm in the area, and toward the construction of a rice mill. The meeting also covered possible bilateral agreements between the Ministry of Agriculture and IFAD.
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| Indonesia to increase pangasius production
[20 May 2013] Indonesia’s Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Affairs hopes to produce 1.1 million tonnes of pangasius in 2013. In 2012, pangasius production reached 651,000 tonnes. “To achieve the target, we have been developing a new pangasius breed namely Siam breed that can grow fast. Moreover we gave mini feed machines to groups of pangasius farmer in the production centres of pangasius,” said Director General of Aquaculture, Slamet Soebjakto. The production centres of pangasius in Indonesia are South Sumatera, Jambi, Riau and South Kalimantan.
| China supplies and demands more amino acid
[20 May 2013] The output and consumption of lysine in China increased 14% and 22% in 2012 to 855,000 and 610,000 tonnes respectively, according to a study by Research and Markets. The Chinese lysine market is highly concentrated and dominated by several manufacturers including Changchun Dacheng, Ningxia Eppen, Cofco Biochemical (Anhui), Meihua and CJ (Liaocheng) with a total market share of nearly 79% in 2012.Unlike lysine, China has to rely on imports of methionine which reached 193,700 tonnes in 2012. Imports are mainly from Evonik, Sumitomo, Adisseo and Novus. With growth in feed technology, China's amino acid industry has seen rapid development.
| New marketing ideas needed to boost cured meat sales
[17 May 2013] The Thai traditional cured meat market is expanding at a slower pace of 5% compared to 8-10% in the past as the new generation of consumers prefer fast food. Charoen Rujirasopon, Chief Executive Officer at S. Khonkaen Food Pcl said currently major consumers are still working adults and the senior population. “We need new marketing ideas and new markets,” he said. "The total value of the Thai cured meat market stands at USD 102 million. Of the total, 80% are branded products while the remaining are home-made products," he said. As the biggest producer in the market, S. Khonkaen holds an 80% market share in the modern trade segment. More in the July issue of Asian Meat Magazine.
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| Pure Foods Hormel posts 13% revenue hike in 2012
[17 May 2013] Pure-Foods Hormel Co Inc, the meats processing unit of San Miguel Corp (SMC), posted a 13% growth in revenue in 2012, a company disclosure said. Driving the growth was strong sales of the company’s core products that include hot dogs, corned beef and its rapidly growing nuggets line. According to SMC President and COO Ramon Ang, SMPFCI has seen double digit growth in for the past decade. This trend is likely to continue, prompting the company to build a new plant to expand capacity. The company is the market leader in processed meat products in the Philippines.
| Philippine corn output expected down in Q2
[17 May 2013] Philippine corn production is seen to decline by about 25.5% to 1.1 million tonnes in the second quarter of 2013, the Philippine Bureau of Agricultural statistics said in its latest Rice and Corn Outlook Report. The lower output can be attributed to “the movement of cropping from the second quarter to the first quarter in almost all regions to avoid the effects of extreme heat.” Together with the first quarter production volume of about 2.2 million tonnes, the country’s first half corn output is expected to reach a little over 3.3 million tonnes, down about 4% from 2012’s level. Output is expected to recover slightly in the 3rd quarter.
| China offers relief to bird-flu hit farmers
[17 May 2013] China is offering subsidies to livestock farmers to overcome losses incurred from the bird flu. The State Council will provide short-term loans to major poultry producers to mitigate damage caused by the disease. The China Animal Agriculture Association estimated that since the start of the outbreak in March, the Chinese poultry sector suffered a loss of over USD 1.6 million. "This is only the beginning. Compared with the bird-flu outbreak in 2009, the situation this time will remain for a longer period given the uncertainty of the source and infection routes of H7N9 virus," said Liu Yonghao, chairman of New Hope Group, one of China's largest poultry and feed producers.
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| China’s avian flu affects McDonald’s sales
[17 May 2013] McDonald’s global sales at restaurants opened for at least 13 months declined 1% in the first quarter of 2013 compared to the year before, with same-store sales in the US down 1.2%. In China, where the hamburger chain has 1700 outlets, same-store sales fell 4.6% in the period under review, hurt in part by the effects of an investigation into Yum Brand’s chicken supply and the use of antibiotics in poultry. It also said the outbreak of bird flu in China has deterred consumers from buying chicken items which, it said, could contribute to weaker global sales this month.
| CPF’s Q1 net profit drops 92%
[16 May 2013] Charoen Pokphand Foods Plc (CPF) of Thailand reported a 92% decline in their first quarter net profit of USD 34.7 million, from USD 407 million in the same period of last year. This was attributed to the drop in shrimp sales, which was hit by the spread of early mortality syndrome (EMS). However, revenue from sales in the first quarter increased 16% year-on-year to USD 3 billion. Adirek Sripratak, President and Chief Executive, said the spread of EMS has slowed down the shrimp farming business in many areas and so affected sales of its aquatic feed which brought down its operating results.
| Jollibee’s Q1 net profit up 33%
[16 May 2013] Philippine fast food giant Jollibee Foods Corp (JFC) reported a 33% hike in its 1st quarter net income, thanks to strong sales and better operating margins. In a disclosure, the company said that net income topped USD 21.69 million during the period from USD 16.29 million, while system wide sales grew 11% to USD 440.17 million in the first three months of this year. JFC Chairman and CEO Tony Tan Caktiong also noted that “the healthy growth of the economy and election spending also contributed to our strong sales performance.”
| CP Vietnam opens new feedmill
[16 May 2013] CP Vietnam Corporation has opened a new feedmill in Vietnam's northern province of Hai Duong. Equipped with latest milling technology from Stolz of France, the plant has a capacity of about 600,000 tonnes/year. It produces livestock feeds supplying farmers in the northern region of the country. CP Vietnam is boosting its food business in North Vietnam and this plant will support this growth as it supplies feeds for its contract farms, which supply live birds for its processing plant.
| Vietnam and Japan beef up agricultural cooperation
[16 May 2013] Vietnam and Japan have signed an agreement to strengthen bilateral ties in agriculture and will collaborate in areas of agriculture, forestry and fisheries to ensure food security. Vietnam hopes to adopt technology from Japan to improve its livestock and aquaculture production, and food safety measures. This would lift productivity and help boost exports. Japanese farm minister said rising productivity and quality of farm products in Vietnam would create an opportunity for Vietnam as Japan relies heavily on imported food. So far, Japan has provided non-refundable aid valued at USD 450 million for more than 25 technical projects aimed at developing Vietnam’s agriculture.
| Volume of export quality yellowfin tuna down 4.3%
[16 May 2013] The volume of export quality, fresh mature yellowfin tuna caught by tuna fishers from the Philippines continue to decline, falling by 4.3% to 505 tonnes during the first quarter of 2013, figures from the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority showed. The high quality yellowfin stocks are mostly shipped to the US and Japan. However, there was a 34% increase in the volume of non-export grade yellow fin tuna during the same period to 2034 tonnes.
| Indonesia reports H7N9 infections
[15 May 2013] The Indonesian government has confirmed cases of H7N9 infection in poultry in some parts of the country. However, there have been no reports of human infections from the new strain so far here. The country could end up with a bird flu outbreak similar to that in China because they share similar methods of poultry husbandry, an expert warned. Animal health researcher at the Bogor Institute of Agriculture I Wayan Teguh Wibawan said Indonesian farmers sometimes kept livestock such as chicken and ducks in close quarters, the Jakarta Globe reported. He suggested segregating farm animals and limiting the number of animals in one place to avoid overcrowding.
| Vietnam to import beef from Uruguay
[15 May 2013] Vietnam has approved 12 processing plants in Uruguay to ship beef and lamb to the country. The approval came after top leaders of the two countries met in Hanoi last year. Fernando Perez Abella, Vice President of the Uruguay National Meat Institute (INAC), said Vietnam's growing economy, large population base and insufficient domestic production makes it a lucrative market. Uruguay is one of the world’s largest beef exporters. In 2012, it exported 405,000 tonnes of meat, mostly beef, valued at USD 1.58 billion. Vietnam imported beef from Uruguay worth USD 2 million in the year.
| Yum’s China same store sales plunge 29%
[15 May 2013] Yum Brands Inc reported that its sales fell 29% at established restaurants in China in April 2013. Its sales in China began falling dramatically last December after reports of its supplier providing poor quality chicken meat. This, coupled with the recent wave of bird flu, could result in the company seeing its worst results of the year in its second quarter. Its April results include an estimated decline of 36% at KFC and 5% growth at Pizza Hut Casual Dining. Still, Yum said it expects its sales trends to turn positive in China in the fourth quarter considering that in the past the impact of bird flu issues has diminished in about three months.
| CP All expands its network
[15 May 2013] CP All, the operator of 7-Eleven convenience stores in Thailand, plans to invest USD 100 million to build four new distribution centres across Thailand. This will facilitate the expansion of 7-Eleven stores with a target of 10,000 new outlets within the next five years. Pittaya Jearavisitkul, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, said this network expansion will also assist with the inflow of goods from neighbouring countries into Thailand when the Asean Economic Community takes effect.
| Zoetis 1Q report sees growth in all regions
[15 May 2013] Zoetis, formerly the animal health arm of Pfizer Inc, recorded revenues of USD 1.09 billion for the first quarter of 2013, up 4% from the first quarter of 2012. The company saw growth in all regions. Asia Pacific, comprising Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia, saw USD 175 million in revenues, up 2% operationally over the first quarter of 2012. The company said results were driven by the sales of livestock products, especially swine. “As a newly formed standalone company, we are singularly focused on the animal health industry to improve our ability to serve those who raise and care for animals.” Japan and China are also growth drivers for the company. It registered the vaccine Fostera PCV in China, which prevents Porcine Circovirus Type 2 viremia in a single dose.
| San Miguel Corp to sell more SMPF shares
[15 May 2013] San Miguel Corp (SMC) plans to list more shares in its food and beverage company San Miguel Pure Foods Co Inc (SMPFCI) to expand its processed meats business. SMC President and COO Ramon Ang said that the company can sell more shares because “a lot of investors are interested,” and that the processed meats business, which is a high profit unit for the company, has been growing by double digits annually over the past decade. However, he added that SMC will continue to retain controlling interests in SMPFCI. SMC CFO Ferdinand Constantino said proceeds from the sale will fund the expansion of the company’s processed meats plant in Indonesia.
| Breakthrough in shrimp EMS
[14 May 2013] After months of investigation researchers have learnt that the shrimp early mortality syndrome (EMS) affecting farms across Southeast Asia is caused by a bacterial agent which is transmitted orally. The bacteria colonises the shrimp gastrointestinal tract and produces a toxin that causes tissue destruction and dysfunction of the shrimp digestive organs. The research team led by Donald Lighter from the University of Arizona will continue their work to develop diagnostic tests for rapid detection of the disease which will improve hatchery and pond management. They are also working towards a long-term solution for the disease.
| Wal-Mart to invest USD 16.3 million in China
[14 May 2013] The world’s largest retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc plans to invest USD 16.3 million over three years to improve food safety in China. The retailer will use some of the funds to expand a mobile food-inspection lab program to cover 70 stores in the Guangdong Province. It will also increase supplier training, improve store standards, recruit more food safety experts and expand its fresh-food distribution. In October 2011, police arrested Wal-Mart workers in Chongqing for mislabelling ordinary pork as organic.
| TUF’s profit affected by EMS
[14 May 2013] Thai Union Frozen Products Plc (TUF), the world’s largest tuna producer, reported a drop in its first quarter net profit by 54% year-on-year due to the shrimp early mortality syndrome (EMS), the stronger baht and rising raw material costs. It booked a net profit of USD 22.44 million, down from USD 48.9 million in the previous year. Sales in US dollar terms increased to USD 824 million from USD 822 million in the same quarter last year. However, in baht terms, sales fell by 3% to THB 24.4 billion (USD 812.3 million) because of the appreciation of the Thai baht by 3.5% said President Thiraphong Chansiri.
| Group wants China chicken consignment halted
[14 May 2013] Malaysia’s Muslim Consumer Association has appealed to the authorities to stop an incoming batch of containers containing frozen deboned chicken from China, The Star reported. Its secretary-general Datuk Dr Ma’amor Osman said the shipment, which had not been properly scanned for the H7N9 virus, should not be allowed into the country. He said this in response to Veterinary Services Department Director-General Datuk Abd Aziz Jamaluddin’s statement that each shipment would be tested for the virus first. He pointed out that neighbouring countries like Vietnam, Indonesia and Singapore had issued bans on frozen chicken from China “for fear that this virus is difficult to detect due to its elusive nature”.
| Philippines bans German poultry
[14 May 2013] The Philippines has imposed a temporary ban on the importation of poultry and poultry products from Germany following an outbreak of low pathogenic avian influenza (H7N7) in turkey farms in Lower Saxony. Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala ordered the immediate implementation of the ban, including the confiscation of shipments as well as the suspension of the processing, evaluation, and issuance of import permits for poultry products from the country.
| Strong baht puts pressure on Thai exports
[13 May 2013] Thailand’s food exports this year are unlikely to meet the target due to the appreciating baht. Chatchai Boonyarat, Vice-Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said Thai food exporters already hit by a wage hike across the country this year, and now are trying to survive amid the baht's appreciation. He said by nature the food industry earns a narrow margin of around 3-5% only. However the baht has appreciated by about 6% so far this year. However, he is optimistic that the bird flu in China is likely to benefit exports of Thai chicken.
| De Heus completes feed plant expansion in Vietnam
[13 May 2013] De Heus LLC (Vietnam) has finished expanding the capacity of its aqua feed plant in the Mekong Delta from an annual 30,000 tonnes to 100,000 tonnes yearly. Gabor Fluit, General Director of De Heus Vietnam said the expansion “shows our commitment to the aqua market in Vietnam in general and in the Mekong Delta in particular.” The plant is ISO compliant and has a Global Gap certificate. With the new plant, the company now has four production facilities in the country.
| Wilmar's first quarter profit up 23%
[13 May 2013] Wilmar International Ltd, the world’s biggest palm oil processor, said its first-quarter profit gained 23% as earnings at its oilseeds unit rebounded. Its net income for the period was USD 315.4 million. The oilseeds unit, which incurred a loss a year earlier, improved due to higher margins in soybean processing. “The positive crush margins during the quarter were a result of the lower cost of imported soybeans and higher local product prices, due to late arrival of soybeans in China,” Wilmar said in a statement.
| US beef exports decline
[13 May 2013] US beef exports in March declined 4% in volume but posted a 5% hike in value over year ago levels, the US Meat Export Federation said in its website. Statistics from the US Department of Agriculture show that US beef exports in the first three months was at 256,587 tonnes valued at USD 1.3 billion. However, exports to key Asian markets remain strong with US beef exports to Japan posting a 30% hike in both volume and value, while shipments to Hong Kong more than doubled in volume to 22,217 tonnes and up 93% to USD 123.4 million. Also taking in more US beef during the period was Taiwan, where volume and value of exports went up 56% and 88%, respectively.
| Tianli Agritech expands black hog sales
[13 May 2013] Following the successful entry of its black hogs into the Beijing market in Janaury, China's Tianli Agritech Inc has begun selling its Tianli-Xiduhei branded black hog products through retail outlets in Wuhan City, China. Cuts of Tianli's black hog meat are currently available in Newstar supermarket as well as three Lao Nong Min retail stores. Tianli Chairwoman and CEO Hanying Li said: "As we enter new markets and build our Beijing and Wuhan markets in coming quarters, we expect our Black Hogs Program to contribute meaningfully to our revenue and earnings in 2013.”
| Vietnam to invest USD115m in bird flu prevention
[09 May 2013] Vietnam will spend USD 115 million to build its capacity to prevent the H7N9 bird flu virus, said its Ministry of Health. The amount will be used to promote communication, arrange anti-flu exercises, and build laboratories and quarantine zones. The government will allocate USD 36 million for the project and draw the remainder from international donors. Nguyen Thanh Long, Deputy Minister of Health said Vietnam needs to beef up measures to prevent the virus because it has a long border with China.
| CPF leverages off lower financing
[09 May 2013] Charoen Pokphand Foods Plc (CPF) is speeding up its plans to invest overseas to enjoy the cheaper financing cost caused by the appreciating baht. Pisit Ohmpornnuwat, COO for overseas trading, said the company is now in talks with food producers in the UK, US and Australia. The investments include a chicken-burger production unit in the UK and the launch of ready-meals production in the US and Australia. When the talks are done, the new products will be launched under the brand ‘Kitchen Joy’ which has been received well in Scandinavia.
| FMD confirmed in Xinjiang
[09 May 2013] China’s Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) confirmed on Tuesday that foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has infected cattle in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The MOA said that on May 2, a village in Awat County reported 16 heads of cattle showed symptoms of the disease, and the National FMD Reference Laboratory confirmed the cases as type-A FMD. Local authorities have already culled and disposed of 239 heads of cattle as well as sealed off and sterilised the affected area to prevent the disease from spreading.
| Purefoods posts 25% hike in Q1 profits
[09 May 2013] San Miguel Pure Foods Co Inc posted a net income of USD 17.14 million, up 25% year-on-year, because of increased volumes, higher selling prices and lower costs. Consolidated sales for the period also grew by 3%. The company said its meat and poultry business posted a strong turnaround thanks to “better selling prices, improvements in its hog-growing facilities and the increased availability of cassava.” Meanwhile, its flour and value-added businesses remained major contributors to the company’s profits with many of its brands posting double digit growth.
| Australia considers donating cattle to Indonesia
[09 May 2013] Organisers of a beef crisis summit in Queensland, Australia want to see 100,000 Australian cattle donated to Indonesia. “We’ll be wrapping a resolution around using funds that are available to the Federal Government to buy back 100,000 head of cattle and put them in a package of relief aid to Indonesia,” said organiser Barry Hughes. “We’ll be looking to utilise the protein that’s available here, causing a bottleneck in our marketplace, but relieving the protein issue that’s happening in Indonesia.” The summit sought to find solutions for the crisis caused by the impacts of the live export ban to Indonesia in 2011, drought and the high Australian dollar which severely hampered the beef industry’s ability to compete globally.
| More deaths from H7N9 in China
[08 May 2013] Four more people in China have died from the H7N9 virus, bringing the death toll to 31 with the number of infected people rising to 129, Chinese health authorities said. Two of the deaths occurred in the eastern province of Jiangsu, one was from eastern Zhejiang and another from central Anhui. The World Health Organization (WHO) said it has no evidence that the new strain of bird flu is easily transmissible between humans, but it noted that 40% of people infected with H7N9 appear to have had no contact with poultry. The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said the current strain cannot spark a pandemic in its current form, but there is no guarantee it will not mutate.
| Thailand’s shrimp exports to fall
[08 May 2013] Thailand’s shrimp exports are expected to fall this year as the spread of early mortality syndrome (EMS) continues. The situation is further compounded by the stronger baht that is also putting pressure on the sector. Poj Aramwattananont, President of the Thai Frozen Foods Association, said shrimp exports this year could contract by USD 674 million to USD 1 billion (25-37%) if the situation continues and the government does not implement immediate measures to tackle the disease. Small farmers have now stopped investments to avoid losses. Mr Poj said the effect of EMS on the Thai shrimp industry comes earlier than expected as it has caused a drop in crustacean production.
| Farmers arrested for selling meat from sick pigs
[08 May 2013] In the latest in a string of food scandals in the China, three Chinese farmers were arrested for selling pork meat from pigs that died of disease, a report by Channel News Asia said. Citing Chinese state media, the report said that the farmers were contracted to dispose of the dead pigs from the southern province of Fujian, but instead sold the meat for human consumption. Over 40 tonnes worth USD 490,000 were sold. Investigators said the pigs were infected with pseudorabies and PRRS virus.
| Tamil Nadu expands poultry production
[08 May 2013] Tamil Nadu, a major poultry production hub in south India, plans to spend USD 4.15 million to expand poultry production in the state, according to the state's Animal Husbandry Department. Under the plan, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development will subsidise 25% of the investment cost for participating farmers, who will draw the remainder from bank loans or their own sources. Farmers will be encouraged to enter into broiler contract growing schemes or produce other poultry species such as quail or duck. The project will focus on backward areas outside Namakkal and Palladam, which are the state's key layer and broiler rearing zones respectively. Tamil Nadu is estimated to produce 20 billion eggs/year, valued at about USD 1.4 billion in 2013.
| Record corn harvests in Q1
[08 May 2013] The Philippines posted record levels in rice and corn production in the first quarter of 2013, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said. Rice output for the period rose to 4.5 million tonnes, up 5.5% from last year. Corn production on the other hand is up 10% to 2.2 million tonnes for the period. For the year, the government targets rice and corn production are at 20.04 million tonnes and 8.45 tonnes, respectively.
| Wet markets may be source of H7N9
[07 May 2013] A study conducted by a group of Chinese researchers indicates that a poultry wet market may be the source of the deadly H7N9 avian influenza virus, an online report by The Lancet said. A collaborative research team from The University of Hong Kong and Zhejiang University analysed four infected patients in southeast China's Zhejiang Province and discovered that the virus that affected the patients is genetically closely related to the chicken virus isolated from the epidemiologically linked poultry market. About 20% of the chickens from the market were infected with the H7N9 virus.
| Philippines sends corn silage to South Korea
[07 May 2013] The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) announced that the country has sent 24 tonnes of corn silage worth USD 1.83 million to South Korea. This is the first shipment out of a total of 15,000 tonnes that will be exported to South Korea until December 2013. DA Secretary Proceso Alcala said the export of corn silage will boost the farmers’ income by an average of 20%.
| China to impose harsher penalties on food related crimes
[07 May 2013] China vows to impose harsher punishments against food related crimes following a spate of food safety scandals in the country. Supreme People’s Court Spokesman Sun Jungong said “the food safety situation is still very grave, because the number of crimes undermining food safety” continues to climb, adding that these crimes have severely harmed public health, economic order and society. About 2088 people were punished between 2010 and 2012 in 1533 food safety cases, while the number of poisonous food cases tried by Chinese courts rose from 80 in 2010 to 861 in 2012, Mr Sun said.
| Poultry consumption drops in Vietnam
[07 May 2013] Although there is no official information that the H7N9 avian influenza virus has entered Vietnam, Vietnamese poultry farmers are already feeling the crunch as consumption is on the decline due to fears of the disease. An industry player pointed out that chicken prices have been nearly halved from USD 1.82/kg to only USD 0.93/kg and the downward trend is likely to continue. Vietnamese poultry farmers have suffered losses throughout 2012 and hope for a recovery this year has now faded.
| Shanghai cracks down on fake mutton
[07 May 2013] Shanghai authorities are cracking down on sales of mutton following a raid on a crime ring selling rat, fox and mink as mutton meat, a report by Xinhua News Agency said. On May 3, police and city officials raided a market in Minhang district and seized meat labelled ‘New Zealand Sliced Lamb’ that did not have production dates or ingredients. Shanghai officials have started to collect suspicious samples and will conduct DNA tests to confirm whether these really are mutton meat or not.
| Thai farmers encouraged to grow more soy
[06 May 2013] Siam Kubota Corporation has teamed up with Rice Bran Oil Processor Association and Green Spot Co to encourage farmers to grow soybean after harvesting rice. The project aims to bring additional income to farmers and improve soil fertility. Planting more soybean will also help the country reduce imports. Thailand imported about 2 million tonnes of seed and meal a year valued at over USD 2.3 billion. Thailand produces around 200,000 tonnes of soybeans a year. According to Opart Dhanvarjor, Siam Kubota’s Senior Executive Vice President, the project was introduced two years ago on 1920 hectares of fields in six provinces in the Northeast.
| Pork price drops to 30-month low
[06 May 2013] Pork prices in China, the world's largest pork producer and consumer, have been declining since mid-February and reached their lowest point since January 2011 on April 30. According to the Xinhua News Agency prices last Tuesday were more than 18% down compared to February 11, the first day after Spring Festival. Hebei, Shanxi, Liaonjing, Shandong provinces as well as Chongqing municipality led the declines with falls of up to 30%.
| India's northeast battles swine flu
[06 May 2013] Over 600 pigs have died from swine fever and about 12,200 have been infected in the past two months in Mizoram, in Northeast India. The state shares a border with Myanmar and Bangladesh. "The endemic swine fever caused the death of as many as 470 pigs in Aizawl district alone while the remaining 130 died in other districts," a Mizoram animal husbandry and veterinary department official revealed. According to the official, PRRS (porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome), which is more dangerous than the swine flu, has also hit Mizoram and was spreading in Myanmar and there has been an epidemic-like situation in that country.
| Puregold doubles profits in Q1
[06 May 2013] Philippine retail company Puregold Price Club Inc reported a profit hike of more than 105% in the first quarter of 2013 as consolidated net sales rose by 49.8%, the company said in a disclosure. It said net income for the period was USD 23.4 million compared to USD 11.42 million a year ago. Puregold has been expanding aggressively, opening new stores and acquiring existing retail chains since last year. It targets to hit 200 stores nationwide by 2015, but it is likely the company would reach this goal earlier than planned.
| RFM Q1 income up 18%
[06 May 2013] Philippine food and beverage company RFM Corp announced an 18% hike in its net income for the first three months of 2013. In a disclosure, RFM President and CEO Jose Concepcion III attributed the growth to lower costs that led to better margins in its core businesses. He also said that higher consumer spending on the back of continuous economic growth is expected this year, but that the impact will be felt more during the second and fourth quarters this year.
| Thai broiler production continues to rise
[03 May 2013] Thailand expects to see the production of broilers rise by 2.37% to 1.08 billion chickens this year from 1.055 billion last year. Apichart Jongsakul, secretary-general of the Office of Agriculture Economy, said the production will increase to meet rising domestic demand and export. He said currently Thailand is delivering raw, frozen chicken to the EU while Japan is also importing Thai poultry products that need specialised cutting and dressing. Mr Apichart continued that the average price of chicken has appreciated to USD 1.5/kg from USD 1.4/kg last year.
| Philippine feed wheat imports to drop
[03 May 2013] With local corn prices fairly stable, Philippine imports of feed wheat is likely to fall by 33% this year, a report by BusinessMirror said. Philippine Association of Feed Millers Inc (PAFMI) President Norman Ramos said that the price of corn in the local market “is more competitive as compared to the price of feed wheat” in the world market as local production has been steadily increasing over the past several quarters. This will encourage local feedmillers and animal raisers to use local corn. Mr Ramos also noted that the country’s soybean exports this year will likely approximate last year’s volume at around 1.8 million tonnes.
| Chinese chicken imports worry Pakistan
[03 May 2013] Pakistan could be at risk from the H7N9 virus in China as chicken from China is still being imported, despite the Ministry of Commerce's ban on imports from bird flu-hit countries. Poultry products from China are being cleared at Karachi port on a regular basis without any caution to safety and health, said industry sources. The consignments include chicken patties, nuggets and processed products for restaurants and the food service sector. Abdul Basit, former Chairman of the Pakistan Poultry Association, urged the authorities to step in with more stringent measures particularly pertaining to preventing H7N9 contamination.
| Alliance Select retails salmon in Philippines
[03 May 2013] Tuna canner and exporter Alliance Select Foods International Inc (ASFII) is now present in the Philippine retail market, company President and CEO Jonathan Dee said. He revealed that ASFII’s subsidiary Big Glory Bay Salmon and Seafood Co Inc began selling canned and smoked salmon in leading supermarkets in the capital region in December 2012. Mr Dee noted that the number retail outlets where their products are sold exceed 30 and this will grow to about 50 by June.
| Vietnam strong market for Aussie cattle
[03 May 2013] Vietnam has emerged as the second largest export market for Australia’s Northern Territory producers, a welcomed relief as Indonesia reduces its beef import quotas from the country. “It’s very important to producers in the Territory because we’ve been limited for markets for our heavier slaughter-type cattle,” Dear Ryan from Southeast Asian Livestock told ABC news. “We’ve been totally dependent on Indonesia for the last few years.” As of March this year nearly 46,500 cattle had been exported from Darwin Port. The vast majority of NT cattle have been exported to Indonesia with Vietnam receiving the next largest share.
| DaChan not badly affected by bird flu
[02 May 2013] DaChan Food (Asia) Ltd, a leading supplier of chicken products in China, said its balanced consumer structure comprising middle and large chain fast-food restaurants, food processing factories and retailers have helped mitigate the impact of the bird flu outbreak. “Still, chicken consumption has been affected. We are a popular brand name with operation bases from Northeast China to Eastern China. Our products can be delivered to the markets at a faster pace,” said DaChan in a press release. "The recovery of chicken price brought about a significant growth of 86.2% in gross profit." DaChan recently reported a turnover increase of 1.4% to USD 441 million for the three months ended March 31 2013. Its processed foods segments performed the best with turnover increasing by 19.3%. Its meat and feed segment remained the same compared to the previous year.
| GrainCorp agrees to ADM’s USD 3.1b offer
[02 May 2013] Australia’s GrainCorp has accepted a USD 3.1 billion takeover offer from Archer Daniels Midlands (ADM) giving the US grain trading company a dominant presence in Australia where it would control seven of the eight ports that ship bulk grain from the country’s east coast. GrainCorp has about 20 tonnes of storage at more than 280 inland grain handling sites. It is seen as the last available asset which can give full access to the world’s second biggest wheat exporter. In November 2012 GrainCorp spurned ADM’s earlier offer of USD 2.90 billion saying it under valued the company. ADM already owns almost 20% of GrainCorp.
| Images of dead pigs reduces appetite for pork
[02 May 2013] Images of thousands of dead pigs floating upstream from Shanghai reduced pork consumption in the country. This pushed pork prices down sharply. According to China’s National Bureau of Statistics pork prices fell 5.5% in March 2013 from a year ago. China is the world’s largest pork consumer and any changes in consumption pattern will immediately reflect in the nation’s consumer price index. Consumer prices were 2.1% higher in March than a year ago but lower than February’s 3.2%. A Standard Chartered Research attributed the lower consumption figure to the pig deaths and bird flu contagion risk.
| India sets up closed house research facility
[02 May 2013] India has set up the first model Environment Control Chambers (ECC) for poultry research at Namakkal Veterinary College and Research Centre in Tamil Nadu. Dr K A Duraisamy, Dean of the centre, said there are six ECCs in the model research facility that allows studies to be carried out simultaneously among broilers and layers under different climatic conditions. “Research can be carried with about 2,400 broilers or 5,000 layers. Our focus is on faster weight gain in broilers and improving the quality and efficiency of layers,” he said. The chambers are equipped with sensors to monitor and maintain the conditions inside.
| Asean countries ban poultry from China
[02 May 2013] Southeast Asian countries are banning the import of poultry meat from China as the spread of the new avian flu subtype continues. Last week Malaysia joined Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines which banned all poultry products in April. These countries have also urged their own poultry farmers to step up vigilance against sick birds after Taiwan reported a case of the deadly strain, the first outside mainland China. Some 98 shipments amounting to 48000 tonnes of chicken meat, already on its way to Malaysia before the ban, will be thoroughly tested before it enters the country, said Mr Wan Mohd Kamil. Malaysia imports 22,000 tonnes of frozen chicken meat from China, accounting for 65% of the country’s annual purchases from abroad. The rest comes from Thailand and the EU.
| Vietnam detects FMD type A
[30 April 2013] Vietnam has detected the type A virus of the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), a discovery that could lead to complications in eradication, said the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The virus was detected in the northern provinces of Ha Tinh and Thanh Hoa. FMD is endemic in Vietnam, but it is the type O virus. "The detection of the type A virus would make it difficult to control FMD as we only have vaccines for the type O virus," said Dam Xuan Thanh, Deputy Director of the Animal Health Department. He said the department has a reserve of 325,000 doses of type O virus vaccines, but this cannot protect the animal against the type A virus.
| Chester’s continues to grow
[30 April 2013] Chester’s Food Co Ltd, an operator of the Chester's grilled chicken restaurant chain under the Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group in Thailand, aims to open 20 new outlets this year and renovate its existing branches. Suwat Sangphatanayothin, Vice President, said the company plans to invest USD 3.44 million in this project. It also will continue its marketing activities to rebrand itself from Chester’s Grill to Chester’s. He said the fast food sector in Thailand has seen double digit growth annually with total market value accounting for USD 687 million.
| China eases restrictions on Canadian canola
[30 April 2013] China has allowed an additional oilseed crushing plant to accept shipments of Canadian canola seed, a move that could lead the country to totally remove import restrictions on canola from Canada. Restrictions were imposed in 2009 for fear of a fungal disease blackleg. The approval was made to China National Offshore Oil Corporation’s Bioluz plant in Jiangsu province, a producer of rapeseed crops, a close relative to canola. "We're beginning to see a change in their methodology and their ability to absorb Canadian canola," said Canadian Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. So far, China has allowed 11 crushing plants with a combined annual capacity of 5.5 million tonnes to accept Canadian canola. Its by-product from crushing is used in making feed in China.
| Burger King’s profit up
[30 April 2013] Burger King’s first-quarter profit rose even though revenue fell as the fast-food chain cut down its expenses. Burger King Worldwide Inc reported last Friday that its net income increased to USD 35.8 million. However revenue dropped about 42% to USD 327.7 million but a sharp cut down on its expenses has helped boost the company’s profit. It said total restaurant expenses including food costs and payroll expenses fell almost 70% in the first quarter to USD 108 million.
| New milk blend developed in the Philippines
[30 April 2013] The Philippine National Dairy Authority (NDA) announced that it has developed a blend of coconut milk and cow’s milk that can be used for its national milk-feeding program and to help cut the country’s dependence on milk imports. In addition, the NDA also developed white cheese and coconut milk yogurt. The products will now be pilot tested to determine their acceptability in the market.
| Poultry feed demand in China may fall
[29 April 2013] Poultry feed demand in China is expected to drop by 20% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2013 due to the H7N9 outbreak. JC Intelligence Co, a research firm based in Shanghai said sales of poultry products in China slumped by 70% since the outbreak began at the end of March. Falling poultry sales was a result of a warning by the government to avoid contact with poultry. This caused farmers across the country to scale down their flock sizes, said the report. “The industry has been dealt a blow so severe that it won’t be able to shake off the impact at least until late May or June,” Li Qiang, Managing Director of Shanghai JC Intelligence was quoted as saying.
| Farmers trained in cassava production and processing
[29 April 2013] The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) has trained farmers from South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani provinces and General Santos City in Mindanao in cassava production and using postharvest facilities and processing technologies. The DA is encouraging farmers in these areas to plant cassava because of its potential in feeds, alcohol and the food sectors. Leading food and beverage company San Miguel Corp (SMC) has also expressed readiness to buy the crop from them. SMC needs 500,000 tonnes of cassava for its feed production business alone.
| Vinamilk's profits up
[29 April 2013] Vinamilk, Vietnam's largest milk producer expects its profit in 2013 to increase by 21.5% to USD 299.5 million on sales of USD 1.56 billion. This has led the company to pay generous dividends to its shareholder. The company plans to spend USD 125 million to invest in new milk plans and dairy farms. Under the plan, it will increase the number of dairy cows to 25,500 heads in 2015 and 28,000 heads in 2016.
| India develops SPF white shrimp broodstock
[29 April 2013] India has started developing specific pathogen free (SPF) white shrimp broodstock that are fast growing and resistant to disease. The Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture in collaboration with the Ocean Institute in Hawaii, USA, initiated the project. The selection of the broodstock is done under intensive farming conditions and a wide range of salinities and temperature. Earlier banned in India, the country recently approved the farming of white shrimp, an exotic species that originated in South America. Shrimp farmers in India appreciate its ability to grow under high stocking density and adaptation to low protein diets.
| Meat industry upbeat over Japan’s TPP inclusion
[29 April 2013] Japan has been given the official go-ahead to join the trans-pacific partnership (TPP). It can most likely participate in negotiations as early as July. Meat processors, farmers and exporters in meat exporting countries such as New Zealand, Australia, the US and Canada welcomed Japan’s inclusion as it offers new opportunities through improved market access, the elimination of tariffs and non-tariff barriers. Besides this group the Japanese consumers also stand to benefit from Japan’s inclusion. New Zealand’s Meat Industry Association Chairman Bill Falconer said: “The TPP partners have committed to some ambitious outcomes for market access and the New Zealand red meat industry will not want to see any delay to the goal of completing the TPP deal this year.”
| CP All acquires Makro
[26 April 2013] CP All Plc, the operator of 7-Eleven convenience stores in Thailand, has acquired Siam Makro Plc, a major hypermarket in Thailand, for USD 6.53 billion. This marks the biggest acquisition ever in Thailand’s retail industry. It is likely to lift CP All's sales to USD 10.4 million. The company said it will spend USD 4.2 billion to acquire a 64.35% stake from SHV Holdings, the Dutch parent company of Siam Makro. It will then buy the remaining shares for USD 2.33 billion. Korsak Chairasmisak, Chief Executive of CP All, said the company wants to use Makro to enter other Asean markets. “We can open Marko in every country in Asean as well as China and other Asian countries except India. Laos and Vietnam are our priority,” Mr Korsak said.
| New Myanmar trade policies pave way for US soy sale
[26 April 2013] For the first time, the US is negotiating a sale for soy to Myanmar. Early signs indicate increased demand for US soy could be coming from the country’s aquaculture sector. With more trade-friendly policies in place following the changes in its government last year, Myanmar will soon become US soy’s newest customer. According to the US Soybean Export Council the country shows significant growth potential for expanded US soy exports in the aqua sector. Myanmar’s aquaculture sector produced more than 4 million tonnes of fish in the most recent marketing year.
| Profits down as Yum mops up China scandal
[26 April 2013] Yum Brands, the operator of KFC and Pizza Hut fast-food restaurants, reported a 26% drop in its Q1 earnings. The drop is attributed to lesser sales in China caused by food safety fears. Yum reported a net income of USD 337 million down from USD 458 million during the same period last year. Overall revenues fell 7.6% to USD 2.54 billion from USD 2.70 billion. Its world-wide restaurant margin fell to 15.9% from 18.6% as a steep decline in China offset improvements in other markets. “There is no doubt 2013 will be a challenging year for our company. With the avian flu, there will obviously be more volatility with our China sales recovery,” said CEO David Novak.
| India plans for disaster
[26 April 2013] The Indian government plans to create a national Veterinary Emergency Response unit to protect the country’s livestock population during natural disasters such as floods, fires, droughts and earthquakes. Veterinary students have been trained in disaster management strategies. Chairman of the Animal Welfare Board RM Kharb, speaking at the inaugural National Conference on animal Disaster Management in New Delhi, said the program will look at creating shelters, animal camps, providing feed and water, as well as treatment, disease prevention and the disposal of carcasses. There are 199 million cattle, 71 million sheep, 140 million goats, 11 million pigs and 649 million poultry in India.
| Acton looks to expand into Asia
[26 April 2013] Australia’s Acton Land and Cattle Company plans to expand into Asia to help offset the impact of soaring costs and low prices in the local market. “We are looking at developing long-term relationships with Asian customers in Vietnam and China,” CEO and Managing Director Graeme Acton said, in a bid to “get new markets where you cut out the middlemen”. In an interview with The Australian on the sidelines of the Global Food Forum Mr Acton added: “We need to escalate the free trade agreement with China to compete with the likes of Canada and the US that put a lot of beef in there.”
| Malaysia to feature as CP's halal food hub
[25 April 2013] Charoen Pokphand Holdings (M), the Malaysia-based company of Thailand’s largest agribusiness operator, will use Malaysia as an export hub for its halal food. According to President, Pratan Jongpun, this could beef up the company’s revenue from its food business by 50% in the next five years. He said the country is reputed for its halal food and CP plans to increase exports to other countries including the Middle East. Mr Pratan said there is ample opportunity to grow as there is a growing number of wealthy Muslim consumers. Food exports presently account for 13% of CP's total sales which stood at USD 35.7 million last year.
| PAS inaugurates new feed mill in South Sulawesi
[25 April 2013] Indonesia's PT Perkasa Agung Sejati (PAS) has opened a new feed mill in the Makassar industrial area. Commissioner of PAS, Iwan Subroto said that the location in South Sulawesi in eastern Indonesia is strategic. “It will facilitate our feed distribution to other locations in eastern Indonesia, making it both easier and cheaper.” Mr Subroto added that South Sulawesi is a quality corn production centre. “To store the corn from this region, we have built a warehouse with a capacity of 9,000 tonnes and provided corn dryers with a capacity of 40 tonnes per hour. In future, we will increase the warehouse capacity to 27,000 tonnes.”PAS also has broiler breeding farms and a contract farming business in South Sulawesi.
| AI death toll in China continues to rise
[25 April 2013] The death toll from the spread of the H7N9 virus in China has gone up to 22 while human infections have risen to 109. A provincial health agency in China on Tuesday reported the death of an 86-year-old man in eastern China after he was diagnosed with H7N9 on April 17. Authorities said many of those who became sick had worked with poultry, although the World Health Organisation revealed that more than 50% of those infected had no link with poultry. No human-to-human transmission cases have been reported.
| India plans new agri-food processing park
[25 April 2013] India's Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar has pledged to support the establishment of an agri-food processing park proposed by Andhra Pradesh (AP) state. AP's government led by Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy initiated the project in 2012 to facilitate processing of agricultural produce in the state. It has allocated a plot of 150ha in Nizamabad district for the project. Smart Agro Industries Corporation has expressed interest in developing the agri-food processing park.
| Australia must rebrand for Asia
[25 April 2013] Australian food processors and exporters should rethink its branding of products into Asia. Speaking at the Global Food Forum in Australia, President of Kraft Foods in Australia and New Zealand and its Asia-Pacific President of Developed Markets Rebecca Dee-Bradbury said Australia was not viewed as a high-value food innovator but as a critical supplier of food commodities to Asia. “We need to act urgently” to change this perception, she said. The country must also deliver more than the traditional labels of ‘high quality, premium, safe and green’. “It’s about the brand, not just the premium product,” she said.
| ASIAN AGRIBIZ PIG FEED QUALITY CONFERENCE 2013
Reports by SRIWIPA SIRIPUNYAWIT
[24 April 2013]
Thailand to gain more market share in pork export
Thailand should be able to gain market share in Singapore’s fresh, frozen pork sector if the country is certified FMD free by the Office Internationale des Epizooties (OIE). According to Boonyita Rujtikumporn, President of Thai Swine Veterinary Association, OIE is planning to study Thailand’s livestock zone 2, the country’s eastern region, for this in June. “If the area is certified FMD free, then it’s likely that we can export to Singapore and further open export opportunities to Japan and Europe for cooked products,” Dr Boonyita said. She added that Thailand should find good potential in exports of breeding stocks to neighbouring countries as its swine’s genetics is of a high standard.
Quality counts
Pork producers should focus more on the quality of pigs weaned rather than just the number of piglets. Bruce Mullan, Director of Livestock Industries Innovation, Royston Consulting Australia, said that how farmers feed and piglets before and after weaning can have an important effect on lifetime performance and hence profitability. “Variation is a major problem that the pig industry must deal with… Even though there is little that can be done to reduce variation in piglet birth weight, options are available to improve the quality of piglets at weaning and their subsequent growth through how we feed and manage both the sows and piglets,” Dr Mullan explained.
Feeding the gut, not the pig
Weaning is an event within the production cycle which requires significant investment in terms of labour, technology, housing and feed. Limiting the severity and longevity of the growth check is essential to improving both efficiency and the welfare of the pig. To achieve the desired outcome of a smooth weaning transition it is important for the nutritionist to focus on feeding the gut. “If we can meet the nutrient requirements of the gut, we will then be in a position to shift the focus to efficient lean protein deposition and get on with the task of optimising the amount of saleable pork,” said Megan Edwards, Nutritionist at Ace Livestock Consulting.
Fermented whey products for creep feed and pre-starter
Providing a solid, highly digestible creep feed to suckling piglets as a supplemental nutrient source may increase nutrient intake of the piglets and, therefore, improve pre-weaning daily weight gain and weaning weights. “An effective creep feeding program has proven to stimulate post-weaning feed intake and gains during the first few days after weaning, as it accustoms the piglets to solid feed before weaning and stimulates the development of the digestive system,” said Jan Anne, International Sales & Strategy Manager at Nukamel. Fermented whey productions for creep feed and pre-starter has benefits. Lactic acid is synthesized by fermentation from lactose. It is tasty and so stimulates feed intake. It also lowers the pH in the digestive tract to an optimal value for digestion by enzymes.
| Indonesia lifts cattle import quota
[24 April 2013] After days of speculation Indonesia’s Director General of Foreign Trade Bachrul Chairi has confirmed that Indonesia will increase its cattle import quota from Australia by some 50% for the second quarter to curb shortages and inflation in view of the fasting month in July. In recent months the price of beef in Indonesia has soared beyond USD 10/kg. According to Indonesian Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan additional requirement this year would be around 48,000 tonnes.
| Bird flu detected in swallows in Vietnam
[24 April 2013] Swallows in Vietnam's southern province of Ninh Thuan were found to be infected with the bird flu virus strain H5N1, prompting authorities across the southern region of the country to ask people to remove the birds from their residence. Famously raised for their nests, a delicacy in Chinese cuisines, the detection ignited fears that the virus could spread to domestic poultry and infect humans. The swallows are commonly farmed in residential areas such as building and houses. Removal of swallows out of the communities is not an easy task and could face resistance as the nests are priced up to USD 2000/kg.
| India considers soybean meal imports
[24 April 2013] India is considering allowing poultry producers to import soybean meal for use in feed production, according to Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar. Aiming to ease rising feed cost, the minister said the government may permit poultry farmers, breeders and integrators to import soybean meal for their internal use at zero tariff for one year. He also pledged that the government would release 200,000 tonnes of damaged wheat and rice for poultry producers at half of the price it bought from grain farmers.
| Central Vietnam detects new strain of FMD
[24 April 2013] A new strain of foot and mouth disease (FMD), with a type A virus has emerged in the provinces of Ha Tinh and Thanh Hoa, in central Vietnam. Currently there is no suitable vaccine for this strain. Department of Animal Health Deputy Director, Dam Xuan Thanh said Thailand has embarked on research to produce a vaccine for this strain of FMD. He added that the blue ear epidemic has spread in several Northern provinces, causing the price for pork to fall.
| NZ pact to benefit China’s agri industry
[24 April 2013] Leading dairy manufacturer China Mengniu Dairy Company Limited and food producer Cofco Corporation have signed an agreement with two New Zealand companies to develop a China-New Zealand agribusiness service and Food Safety Centre of Excellence in China. The deal will enable New Zealand’s world-class food safety models, agricultural systems and skill sets to be provided on a commercial basis in China. Initially the Government-owned AsureQuality and PwC New Zealand will work with Mengniu and Cofco on a dairy-related food safety and farm assurance project. As the partnership evolves it is expected that additional New Zealand commercial and research entities with expertise in other areas of the agricultural sector will be brought in.
| PIG FEED QUALITY CONFERENCE
[23 April 2013] Managing the increase in feed ingredient prices was the major theme on the first day of the 2013 Pig Feed Quality Conference in Bangkok:
- Amino acid, but not crude protein
“My challenge to audience is that we think too much about protein,” said Bruce Mullan, Director of Royston Consulting. “Now we can measure protein very quickly and cheaply. But to measure amino acid, sometimes take weeks and it’s very expensive. But in future, we should be able to get better in measuring amino acid with faster result and cheaper cost. Then we can purely formulate amino acid as it is what important. Protein itself is not important”.
- New opportunities amid crisis
The ongoing outbreak of H7N9 in China is likely to open doors for other chicken producing countries like Brazil and Thailand. John Lindblom, Southeast Asia Regional Director, United States Soybean Export Council, said China could lose markets to other chicken producing countries because of this bird flu outbreak. “Like Thailand in the past when there was an outbreak of bird flu, the country lost Japanese and European markets and needed to switch to cooked meat instead,” said Mr Lindblom.
- Technology needed to boost livestock production
“The use of balanced amino acid and protein profiles is critical to achieving long-term sustainable animal production,” claimed Robert Payne, Evonik’s Director Nutrition & Technical Sales. It’s necessary to mitigate or minimise the environmental impact in high density livestock areas, he added. To do so is to reduce nutrient loading to the environment and improve feed conversion.
| CPF plans for integrated processing plant
[23 April 2013] Charoen Pokphand Foods Plc (CPF) plans to set up its first integrated factory to produce sausage, ham, bacon, soup, ready meals, sauces and mixed ingredients under one roof. According to the Bangkok Post, the initiative aims to slash logistics expenses and ensure hygienic preparation of raw materials and manufactured items. Executive Vice-President Sukhawat Dansermsuk said this model will help CPF manage not only production costs efficiently but also supplies of raw materials.
| Thailand steps up surveillance against H7N9
[23 April 2013] Thailand has stepped up measures against the new strain of bird flu. Public Health Minister Dr Pradith Sinthawanarong said all local health agencies are joining forces to keep a close watch on the H7N9 situation in China. Mobile laboratories with bird-flu testing units have been prepared in case of a severe outbreak. Members of the public have been urged to avoid contacts with poultry and to notify Health authorities in case of any unusual deaths of poultry. Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Yukol Limlamthong has asked the Livestock Development Department to keep all bird flu-prone areas nationwide under surveillance.
| Calata Corp posts record profit, revenue
[23 April 2013] Farm input supplier, Calata Corp, posted a 10% increase in its 2012 profit which reached a record level of USD 2.68 million, a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange said. The growth was driven by sales revenues that also went up 11% to a company record of USD 53.6 million for the year. Calata Corp, through its wholly owned subsidiary Agri Phil Corp, distributes feeds, agrochemicals, veterinary medicine, fertilisers and seeds.
| Dong Nai pig farmers suffer losses
[23 April 2013] Swine production in Vietnam’s southern province of Dong Nai, the largest pig raising area in the country, is under serious threat of bankruptcy as farms are incurring huge losses as pigs are traded at USD 1,722-1,842/ tonne live weight while the production costs vary between VND40 million and VND41 million. The high production costs are attributed to a heavy reliance on imported raw materials. In addition, the state imposes a 5% value-added tax (VAT) on animal feed. Local farmers also have difficulty in accessing loans at local banks. Those eligible to borrow from banks have to pay a high interest rate, which drives the production costs even higher.
| CPF plans for integrated processing plant
[23 April 2013] Charoen Pokphand Foods Plc (CPF) plans to set up its first integrated factory to produce sausage, ham, bacon, soup, ready meals, sauces and mixed ingredients under one roof. According to the Bangkok Post, the initiative aims to slash logistics expenses and ensure hygienic preparation of raw materials and manufactured items. Executive Vice-President Sukhawat Dansermsuk said this model will help CPF manage not only production costs efficiently but also supplies of raw materials.
| Thailand steps up surveillance against H7N9
[23 April 2013] Thailand has stepped up measures against the new strain of bird flu. Public Health Minister Dr Pradith Sinthawanarong said all local health agencies are joining forces to keep a close watch on the H7N9 situation in China. Mobile laboratories with bird-flu testing units have been prepared in case of a severe outbreak. Members of the public have been urged to avoid contacts with poultry and to notify Health authorities in case of any unusual deaths of poultry. Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Yukol Limlamthong has asked the Livestock Development Department to keep all bird flu-prone areas nationwide under surveillance.
| Dong Nai pig farmers suffer losses
[23 April 2013] Swine production in Vietnam’s southern province of Dong Nai, the largest pig raising area in the country, is under serious threat of bankruptcy as farms are incurring huge losses as pigs are traded at USD 1,722-1,842/ tonne live weight while the production costs is about USD 1,950/tonne. The high production costs are attributed to a heavy reliance on imported raw materials. In addition, the state imposes a 5% value-added tax (VAT) on animal feed. Local farmers also have difficulty in accessing loans at local banks. Those eligible to borrow from banks have to pay a high interest rate, which drives the production costs even higher.
| Calata Corp posts record profit, revenue
[23 April 2013] Farm input supplier, Calata Corp, posted a 10% increase in its 2012 profit which reached a record level of USD 2.68 million, a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange said. The growth was driven by sales revenues that also went up 11% to a company record of USD 53.6 million for the year. Calata Corp, through its wholly owned subsidiary Agri Phil Corp, distributes feeds, agrochemicals, veterinary medicine, fertilisers and seeds.
| Japfa invest USD402m in expansion
[22 April 2013] Japfa Comfeed Indonesia, plans to invest a total of USD 402 million this year and next in a planned expansion of its capacity to produce feed and DOC. “The expansion is in anticipation of chicken meat demand, which rises by an average of 15% every year,” Putut Djagiri, Senior Head of corporate finance, said last week. The investment is expected to increase the company’s capacity to produce feed and DOC by 34% and 19% respectively by the end of 2014. In total, Japfa’s 12 factories across the country produced around 2.7 million tonnes of animal feed last year. Its DOC stock rose to 450 million last year from 370 million the year before.
| Thailand’s feed production to grow
[22 April 2013] Thailand’s total feed production this year is expected to expand by 5.2% against last year, in line with the growth of livestock sector. Boontham Aramsiriwat, Secretary of Thai Feed Mill Association, told Asian Agribiz that this year total feed production is expected to account for 16.3 million tonnes, up by 5.2% from 15.5 million tonnes last year, led by the continued expansion of the broiler and layer sectors. In 2012, of the total feed production 15.5 million tonnes, 37% was for the broiler sector, 32% for swine and 16% and 5% respectively for layer and shrimp. This year the production of broiler feed is projected at 6.2 million tonnes, up by 10.7% from 5.6 million tonnes in 2012, as the lifting of the EU ban on the Thai raw, frozen chicken will raise exports.
| Human-to-human H7N9 transmission rare
[22 April 2013] More than 50% of patients infected with H7N9 bird flu virus in China had no contact with poultry, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported. China has reported 87 human H7N9 infections, with 17 deaths, most of them in Shanghai. WHO China representative, Michael O’Leary, issued the new data and said human-to-human transmission was rare. “It’s hard to definitively rule in or rule out chickens,” he said. “This is still an animal virus that occasionally infects humans. With rare exceptions, we know that people are not getting sick from other people.”
• The Ministry of Agriculture will roll out aided measures for the badly-hit poultry industry said Minister Han Changfu. He said that subsidies will be given to poultry companies to protect supply and avoid price surges after plunges.
• The sector has recorded losses of more than USD 1.6 billion since reports emerged of the H7N9 virus. Authorities have slaughtered thousands of birds and closed live poultry markets in Shanghai and Beijing in an attempt to reduce the rate of human infection.
• Roast Peking duck restaurants have seen a sharp drop in business. DaDong Food & Beverage Investment Co Ltd has seen its business fall 15%, but owner Dong Zhenxiang, said the restaurants are not worried because duck dishes are only part of the menu. He said, Da Dong sources its ducks from Beijing Golden Star Duck Center, and he trusts the safety of ducks provided by the company as their quarantine and epidemic prevention management is mature.
| Autogrill invests in Vietnam
[22 April 2013] Autogrill, the world’s first operator in catering and retail services for travellers from Italy, plans to open over 80 outlets in the country’s main airports through a joint venture with Imex Pan Pacific Group. "We are entering a country of high growth potential and strategic importance for further development," said Gianmario Tondato Da Ruos, Autogrill’s CEO.The joint venture – Autogrill VFS F&B Company – was set up with Vietnam Food and Beverage Services Company. Autogrill said it would expand its operations to cover Vietnam’s top six airports. By the end of 2014, it would generate over USD 20 million in sales.
| Horsemeat scandal fails to impact beef demand
[22 April 2013] The Rabobank Global Cattle price Index has recovered slightly from Q4 but remains 8% down YOY. The report revealed that the European horsemeat scandal has had hardly any impact on consumer demand and resulting beef prices. The outlook for the global beef industry is mixed, but overall global beef production is likely to remain constrained and demand is set to weaken in the face of growing inflation. Rabobank analyst Albert Vernooij said: "The only lasting challenge for the industry created by the scandal will be to meet more stringent tracking and tracing standards which are expected to be introduced by governments, processors and retail foodservice players. This response, coupled with a lower availability of beef in the coming years, could trigger a significant increase in the number of dedicated supply chains."
| Ba Huan kicks off layer chick production
[19 April 2013] Ba Huan, Vietnam's major egg trader, will see its first batch of layer DOC coming out in June 2013, nearly six months after starting its layer PS operations in south Vietnam. With 1600 layer PS from Hy-Line, the company will produce 23,000 layer DOC/week, said Chokdee Wuttiphong, an executive in charge of the operations. "We'll take 70% of the DOC for use in our own commercial layer farms and the remainder will be supplied to our contract growers," he told Asian Agribiz.
| Bird flu in China could shrink corn demand
[19 April 2013] The impact of China's bird flu outbreak on poultry production and feed demand remains uncertain but may be less than initially feared. As poultry markets close across the country and inventories shrink, this will reduce feed consumption. However, if consumers switch to pork instead of poultry meat, this will offset the losses in the poultry sector and reduce the net effect on feed demand. "Since hogs are less efficient converters of feed to meat and use a higher proportion of energy feeds like corn, any substitution of pork for poultry that occurs will dampen the negative effect of reduced poultry production on feed demand, particularly corn," said Bryan Lohmar, US Grains Council director in China. "Conversely, fish are more efficient converters and use less energy feed, so if consumers switch to fish this will help soybean increase demand a little, but not corn."
| Asia's growth fuels Aussie food exports
[19 April 2013] Fuelled by a prosperous middle class, Asia presents huge opportunities for Victoria and Australia. This group alone is projected to number more than 3 billion people, or two thirds of the global middle class living in Asia, by 2030. "We’re already seeing significant growth with Victoria’s food and fibre exports growing by 11% in the 2011-12 financial year – that’s almost USD 1 billion. Eight out of the top 10 countries are Asian countries, with China leading the way. China will be responsible for 43% of the global growth in food consumption by 2050," said Victorian Premier Denis Napthine at the 2013 Global Food Forum in Melbourne yesterday.
| Unity key to industry’s survival
[19 April 2013] National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc (NFHFI) Chairman Dan Javellana and Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines Inc (Propork) President Edwin Chen both called for the continued unity of the local hog industry at the opening ceremonies of the 22nd Hog Convention and Trade Exhibits in the Philippines yesterday. Mr Javellana said that in the light of the obstacles faced by the industry, by being united the industry “can formulate strategies to combat the problems we have, improve our efficiencies and competitiveness.” For his part, Mr Chen said that this is the time for the industry to be united, especially with the coming of the Asean Economic Community Council which poses both opportunities and challenges to the local industry. This year’s convention marks the second straight year NFHFI and Propork jointly organised the event.
| Smuggling continues to plague hog industry
[19 April 2013] Technical smuggling of pork meat continues to hound the local hog industry, said Rep Nicanor Briones of the Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines party list at the opening ceremonies of the 22nd Hog Convention and Trade Exhibits in the Philippines yesterday. He said that although pork imports dropped in 2012, there has been another rise in the first quarter of this year, adding that as much as 15 containers of technically smuggled meat declared as fats, offal & skin comes into the country daily.
| GreenFeed opens new feedmill in central Vietnam
[18 April 2013] GreenFeed Vietnam Corporation has opened a new feedmill in the central province of Binh Dinh to expand its market in this region. Located on Binh Nhon Hoa Industrial Zone, the plant has an initial capacity of 220,000 tonnes/year, which will be increased to 300,000 tonnes/year in the second phase. GreenFeed invested USD 12 million in the plant. It was equipped with modern milling technology from Europe, the US and France. Ly Anh Dung, Chairman GreenFeed said the company invested in this large-scale feedmill to cater to the central region of Vietnam.
| Grain prices softening
[18 April 2013] The grains and oilseed complex has seen a major recalibration lower in April. Rabobank's latest Agro Commodities Monthly report predicts a bearish outlook through the second half of 2013 and into early 2014 as a result of strong production recovery, especially in the US and South America. The CBOT corn prices has fallen 10% with further price declines expected through the season.
| Smuggled poultry seized in Vietnam
[18 April 2013] Vietnam seized over one tonnes of rotten poultry meat and animal offal suspected to be smuggled from China. Authorities stopped a truck in Hanoi and found the meat and offal in question packed in plastic bags. The truck driver failed to show the document relating to the stuffs after loading them from Noi Bai Airport, said Thanh Kien Turng, head of anti-smuggling police in Hanoi. Despite Vietnam's stringent border control following the bird flu outbreak in China, smuggling has continued, putting Vietnam at great risk.
| Cargill’s profit drops
[18 April 2013] Cargill Inc, one of the world’s leading crop processors and exporters, livestock feed producers and commodity traders, reported a 42% drop in its quarterly earnings mainly as a result of the drought in the US last year that hurt its meat and grain operations. The situation however, has improved with recent rains and snow, for the next corn crop. Company’s spokeswoman Lisa Clemens said the severe drought had a prolonged impact. “Whenever you have a short crop, it just affects your whole system,” she said.
| Food prices to come down
[18 April 2013] The softening of grain prices is likely to lead to lower Wholesale food prices this year, marking a strong contrast to the bullish trend in 2012. “[Prices] will relax for a couple of years,” Chris Mahoney, head of agriculture at Glencore, told the Financial Times Global Commodities Summit in Lausanne, while Alberto Weisser, Chief Executive of Bunge, expressed optimism about lower prices. The livestock sector globally suffered heavy losses as a result of the low supply and high prices caused by poor harvests.
| More human AI infections, deaths reported in China
[17 April 2013] The H7N9 bird flu has claimed two more lives in Shanghai, Chinese state media said yesterday, bringing the death toll from the disease to 16 and the number of infections up to 77 human cases. This new strain of the flu had been confined to the eastern city of Shanghai and nearby Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui until Saturday when the first case was reported in Beijing. It has since spread west to the central province of Henan where two new cases were reported on Sunday. The UN World Health Organisation has confirmed that it will send a team of flu experts to China this week to help with investigations into the virus spread.
| Taiwan to ban wet market slaughter
[17 April 2013] Taiwan is set to ban the slaughtering of live birds in wet markets from June 17. The decision comes amid the rising number of cases of H7N9 avian flu in China, the Central Epidemic Command Centre said yesterday. However, if livestock or humans are found to be infected by the H7N9 virus, the date could be brought forward. A total of 20,000 chickens are killed in traditional markets each day, a relatively small number compared to those butchered in the 79 licensed poultry slaughterhouses around the island. At present, 1,051 poultry vendors who slaughter livestock in the markets are monitored, down from the 1,686 in 2010, indicating a gradual change in the habit of buying freshly slaughtered poultry.
| India imposes temporary ban on fishing
[17 April 2013] The fishing community in India's Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh states started to observe a 45-day ban on bottom-sea trawling along the coast on Sunday. The ban is to ensure that commercially exploited and other endangered marine species have time to breed. "During summer, all marine creatures go towards the bottom to escape the sun. They also breed and this is the most crucial time of the year," said Dr S Balachandran, a scientist based in Nagapattinam. Meanwhile Vishakapatnam has also commenced its annual total ban on fishing. The ban coincides with the spawning season for fish and is aimed at preventing resource depletion.
| Vietnam threatened by poultry smuggling
[17 April 2013] China's chicken, both live and slaughtered, are still being smuggled into Vietnam, despite concerted border controls, raising fears of the spread of the deadly bird flu strain. Three to five tonnes of rejected poultry are transported to Ha Vy Wholesale Market in Hanoi each day, said Deputy Director of the Livestock Production Department Nguyen Duc Trong. Smuggling and trading of rejected birds from China has also been reported in the northern mountainous province of Cao Bang. Authorities reported smuggled chickens cost around USD 0.50/kg and were sold for USD 3.50-4.00 in Vietnam.
| Panic rises with more AI deaths in China
[16 April 2013] The bird flu in China has claimed two more lives, bringing to 14 the total number of human fatalities according to AFP. Hospitals in Beijing, Shanghai and central Chinese provinces are on high alert. Hundreds of live poultry markets have been shut and traders in Beijing have been ordered to slaughter thousands of birds to contain the spread of H7N9, the new strain that started in China about a month ago.
• Chinese state media Monday urged people to keep eating chicken and help revive the poultry industry, which lost USD 1.6 billion in the week after the H7N9 bird flu virus began infecting humans. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), influenza viruses are rendered inactive by temperatures above 70C (158F), making it safe to eat well-cooked meat.
• The Shanghai municipal government will provide poultry farms with subsidies to help them through the crisis. According to Shanghai's subsidy standard farms can get USD 2.40 for each bird they have kept in stock between April 1 and 30. Individual farmers can get USD 0.48 for egg-laying hens. The government is also purchasing chickens from farmers to help poultry farmers offset losses, and pay back poultry merchants for slaughtering their stocks.
• The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization has said H7N9 shows "affinity" to humans while causing "very mild or no disease" in infected poultry, making it more difficult to find the source of transmission.
• China's science and health authorities have announced a new project to fight the H7N9 virus, and plan to develop a vaccine within seven months. The Ministry of Science and Technology and the National Health and Family Planning Commission will collaborate in the research which includes diagnostic tests and vaccine development.
| South Korea's pig production exceeds 10m
[16 April 2013] The number of hogs raised in South Korea surpassed 10 million heads for the first time in its history. Statistics Korea revealed that the number of pigs raised by Korean pig farmers reached 10.10 million heads in the first quarter, up 1.25 million (14.2%) on-quarter. Production dropped to as low as seven million in the aftermath of the 2011 foot-and-mouth disease. There were only eight pig farms with over 10,000 heads in 1983, but this has swelled to more than 100 for the first time in Q2 2012.
| CPF's business unaffected by bird flu in China
[16 April 2013] Charoen Pokphand Foods insists that the spread of the bird-flu virus in China and Vietnam has not affected the company's businesses in those countries as it mainly runs feed mills in China while Vietnam focuses on pig and shrimp farms. Adirek Sripratak, President and CEO, said CPF's livestock and aquaculture businesses both in Thailand and abroad use world-class technology and standard farm practices, concentrating on food safety as the top priority.
| Vietnam aims for better meat protein quality
[16 April 2013] Vietnam has been restructuring its livestock industry towards turning out high quality products with high added value to ensure sustainable development. Director of the Livestock Production Department Hoang Kim Giao, revealed that the country’s total milk output last year topped 382,000 tonnes, up over 10% from 2011. According to Ho Mong Hai, an expert at the Livestock Production Department, the country has imported a large amount of high-quality dairy cow and beef-cattle gene sources to meet local demand. Because of this, the local industry needs to regularly follow the latest advances in genetics that allow high productivity. This can reduce production costs and raise competitiveness, he said.
| Beijing reports first human case of bird flu
[15 April 2013] The bird flu infection in China has spread to Beijing. A seven-year-old girl is the city's first human case of H7N9 bird flu. The girl, whose parents are poultry traders, was in a stable condition in hospital while her parents have been quarantined for observation. The number of confirmed infections rose to 49 on Saturday, 11 of whom have died. Health authorities in China say they do not know exactly how the virus is spreading, but it is believed to be crossing to humans from birds, triggering mass poultry culls in several cities.
• Changi Airport in Singapore has held a briefing to update airlines on plans to issue health leaflets to all travellers arriving from China and the Middle East. This is to advise them to look out for signs and symptoms of respiratory illness, such as fever and coughs, and seek early medical attention if they display these symptoms.
• Officials in Zhejiang province undertook a two day campaign to cull chickens in a bid to stop the spread of the H7N9 virus which claimed its tenth victim in the country last week.
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that the cases of infection of the virus in China are the first in the world. The source of the virus has not yet been identified and the WHO said that there is no evidence as yet of human to human transmission.
| Vietnam braces for bird flu
[15 April 2013] Some regions in Vietnam are preparing to cope with the new H7N9 strain of bird flu although no cases of infection have yet been reported. Hoang Duc Hanh, Deputy Director of Hanoi's Health Department said there is a high risk of appearance of the H7N9 virus in the country so all districts are focusing on preventive measures. The city's Health Department has set up five 24-hour teams that will be able to reach the infected areas within half an hour of being informed to support local authorities in giving tests and in treating suspected cases.
| New Hope to build feedmill in India
[15 April 2013] New Hope Group, a major feedmiller from China, plans to build its first feedmill in West Bengal, India according to Adrian Lee, the group's representative in India. He said plans are afoot to invest USD 15 million over the next two year to build the plant. It is looking for a plot of land near the port area in West Bengal. "We have been importing feed raw materials from India and would like to have a feed manufacturing base in the country," he said. This venture is aimed at supplies for the local market and to assist in exports of feed raw materials such as corn to China.
| Betagro invests in Cambodia
[15 April 2013] Betagro Group of Thailand plans to build a feedmill in Cambodia which is scheduled for completion in 2014. Narongchai Srisantisaeng, Betagro’s Senior Vice President Feed, Food & Regional Business, said the feedmill, the construction of which will begin in May, will have a capacity of 18,000 tonnes/month. The project, under Betagro (Cambodia) Co Ltd, will cater to feed demand in Cambodia. Additionally the company has built a pig farm with 1500 sows in Cambodia. The construction is now 90% completed.
| Packaged food sales in India to reach USD110b
[15 April 2013] The packaged food segment in India is expected to grow 9%/year and reach USD 109.8 billion by 2030, dominated by milk, sweets, snacks and processed poultry, according to the latest study by McKinsey. Its report on “India as an agriculture and high value food powerhouse by 2030” stated that branding could further enhance realisations of packaged foods by up to 30%, besides driving the growth of the country’s processed food sector. Processed poultry products will grow at the fastest rate of 17%/year to USD 8.34 billion by 2030, against USD 398 million in 2010.
| AI death toll in China rises to 10
[12 April 2013] The bird flu in China has claimed another victim bringing to 10 the number of deaths from the H7N9 virus. The latest victim was in the commercial hub of Shanghai where several of the 38 cases to date have been found. All of the cases so far have been found in eastern China.
- The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation is initiating surveillance programs in neighbouring countries like Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam which border China.
- Yum Brands, which controls KFC, said publicity associated with avian flu has had a significant, negative impact on KFC sales while business at Shanghai Xiao Shaoxing, a restaurant chain specialising in chicken, reportedly plunged 60% in the past week.
- Hong Kong has begun testing imported live poultry for the H7N9 virus in addition to the regular tests for the H5 virus. About 7,000 live chickens are imported from the mainland each day but this has dropped to 4,000 since last week.
- The Shanghai municipal government will provide poultry farms with subsidies to help them through the crisis. The city ordered a halt of live poultry trading and imports, and has culled more than 20,000 live poultry.
| TD Poultry embarks on expansion
[12 April 2013] Malaysia's TD Poultry Sdn Bhd is working towards producing 8 million chickens/month. The integrated producer which supplies halal chicken meat plans to add several closed-houses in Pahang and Kelantan by the end of this year. General manager Abd Razak Mohamad said the company's aim is to control 2% of the chicken market in Malaysia by December this year. "At present, TD Poultry controls only 0.06 per cent of the chicken market in Malaysia, and to achieve this, we will increase production to 1 million chicken per month compared with 300,000 currently.
| Vietnam reports first AI fatality since 2012
[12 April 2013] A four-year-old boy died of bird flu in Vietnam's Mekong Delta, making it the country's first fatality from the virus this year. The boy from Dong Thap province is believed to have contracted the virus from a chicken his grandmother bought and slaughtered in late March. There have been 123 confirmed human H5N1 infections and 61 deaths in Vietnam since the virus first appeared in the country in 2003, according to World Health Organisation. The last reported case was in February 2012. Vietnam has so far reported no cases of H7N9, that has killed nine people in China.
| China's beef imports soar
[12 April 2013] China imported 28,623 tonnes of beef from Australia in Q1 2013, overtaking South Korea to be the third-biggest beef exporter of Australia after Japan and the US, according to the Ministry of Commerce (MOC). China's import of Australian beef made up 12.8% of Australia's beef export in the first three months of the year and is now the fifth-biggest beef export market for Australia with a market share of 3.4%, following Japan, the US, South Korea and Taiwan. The country is likely to see its import of beef from Australia this year double from the 35,000 tonnes predicted by the Meat & Livestock Australia earlier, pointed out market observers.
| India seeks extension of revival and restoration package
[12 April 2013] India's poultry industry has appealed to the central government to extend a revival and restoration package in the wake of increasing soy and corn prices. In the last two years, the prices of soy meal and corn have increased due to forward trading, exports, speculation and hoarding by traders, despite lower global prices. Some of the demands made in the restoration package include a moratorium for a period of one year on repayment of interest and installments towards term loans, interest subvention of 6% for a period of two to three years, rescheduling the outstanding term loans to provide more time for liquidation of the loans, and the sanction of additional working capital loans to meet the increase in the cost of production.
| Death toll rises in China's AI outbreak
[11 April 2013] The death toll from the bird flu in China rose to nine on Tuesday with the number of infected people, most of who work with birds, standing at 28.
* More than 100,000 birds have been culled in Shanghai and a number of cities have suspended poultry trade.
* In Hong Kong, poultry sales have dipped 50% despite lower prices.
* Authorities have stressed that the disease still does not appear to be transmitted between humans and instead results from contact between people and birds.
* Chicken has been withdrawn from menus. Many airlines including China Southern and China Eastern have stopped serving chicken dishes.
* McDonalds has slashed prices by more than 40% on chicken items, offering 20 McNuggets for USD 3.17 while emphasising its food was safe.
| USDA forecasts lower meat production
[11 April 2013] The USDA has lowered its 2013 forecast of total red meat and poultry production but maintained a slightly higher first-quarter pig crop and a smaller decline in the number of sows which farrowed or are expected to farrow in the first half of the year. Hog carcass weights are also raised as feed prices are expected to contact. Corn price is due to go down USD0.20/bushel to a range of USD 6.65-7.15/bushel. While soy prices are forecast to remain unchanged at USD 13.80-14.80/bushel, soybean meal prices have been lowered by USD 10/tonne to a range of USD 415-435/tonne.
| CPF to invest overseas
[11 April 2013] Charoen Pokphand Foods Plc (CPF), Thailand’s largest agribusiness operator, hopes to acquire more businesses in the US and Europe as the economic slowdown has made many distressed assets available. Adirek Sripratak, President and CEO of CPF, said CPF will spend USD 1.3 billion in the next five years on expansion of its international farm, feed and food businesses.
| Japfa helps with corn production in Central Sulawesi
[11 April 2013] Japfa Comfeed (Japfa) Indonesia recently signed an MoU with the governor of Central Sulawesi and regents in Central Sulawesi to increase corn production at production centres in the area. Head of Japfa’s feed division, Harwanto said that Japfa would prepare field trainers to assist corn farmers and establish corn drying facilities here. “We want the farmers produce quality corn, from production to post-harvest. We will buy the entire crop of the farmers. If this cooperation is successful, we will do the same in other areas,” he said. The governor of Central Sulawesi, Longki Djanggola said, “Central Sulawesi has great potential for the development of corn. There are 1.4 million hectares of potential land for planting corn.” Indonesia’s Central Statistics Agency (BPS) noted that the production of corn in Central Sulawesi in 2011 amounted to 161,800 tonnes.
| Bird price remains stable in Vietnam
[11 April 2013] Poultry prices in the northern provinces of Vietnam have remained stable despite the new bird flu virus strain in China. The bird price is USD 1.6/kg and still remains firm, said Nguyen Xuan Duong, acting head of the Livestock Husbandry Department. He said poultry consumption in Vietnam has remained strong as stringent control on poultry smuggling across the border and implementation of strict biosecurity at farms have protected the local poultry industry from the virus.
| AI advances in China
[10 April 2013] The World Health Organisation (WHO) plans to send in a team of experts to China to investigate the bird flu outbreak. Yesterday China reported two more cases of human infection which raised the total of number of cases to 24 with seven deaths so far. Countries around the world have begun placing bans on poultry and product imports from China, the latest being Indonesia. “We found no indication of the H7N9 virus during our last check, but we want to make sure by tightening surveillance on livestock across the country,” Syukur Irwantoro, the ministry’s Director General for Animal Husbandry, told The Jakarta Post. As a first step, Mr Syukur said, the government had stopped the importation of duck feathers, which is used in the making of shuttlecocks.
| Drop in Philippine corn and rice imports
[10 April 2013] Philippine rice and corn imports will likely go down in the 2013-14 market year (MY) as local production is seen to increase, a report by the US Department of Agriculture said. According the USDA Global Agriculture Information Network Report, rice imports will go down by 20% for the period to 1.2 million tonnes from 1.5 million tonnes in MY 2012-13. Corn imports are also seen to decrease by 25% to 75,000 tonnes during MY 2013-14 from 100,000 tonnes during the current marketing year.
| New convenience store chain in Manila
[10 April 2013] FamilyMart, a new convenience store in the Philippines, has opened its first branch in Metro Manila, a report by BusinessWorld said. FamilyMart is a joint venture between Ayala Land Inc, one of the biggest land developers in the country and leading retail firm, Rustan Group. The two companies, through its wholly owned subsidiaries signed an agreement last November with Japanese firms FamilyMart Co Ltd and Itochu Corp for the development and operation of FamilyMart stores in the Philippines. Three more stores are due to be launched this month.
| ASA-IM is now US Soybean Export Council
[10 April 2013] The American Soybean Association – International Marketing (ASA-IM) will now be known as the US Soybean Export Council (USSEC). The transition to USSEC will be complete by the end of June, 2013. The organisation operates five regional offices in Beijing, Amsterdam, Dubai, Guadalajara, and Singapore implementing US soy promotions in over 80 countries. Southeast Asia is a significant importer of oilseeds with imports of 5.7 million tonnes of soybeans and 11.7 million tonnes of soybean meal imported in 2012. The Philippines is the largest customer for US soybean meal outside of North America, while Indonesia was the third largest customer for US soybeans globally in 2012.
| Nanjing shuts down poultry trade
[09 April 2013] Nanjing has become the third city in China to suspend the trade of live poultry due to the bird flu. State-run media Xinhua, reported that Shanghai and Zhejiang’s provincial town of Hangzhou also suspended poultry trade after the new strain of bird flu killed six people and sickened more than 20. Chinese authorities have now culled more than 20,000 birds in Shanghai in an attempt to control the spread. “Unlike H5N1 where chickens die on a large scale, for this strain we don’t have a red flag that immediately signals an infection. Biosecurity and hygiene will help people protect themselves from the virus circulating in seemingly healthy birds or other animals,” said Juan Lubroth, FAO Chief Veterinary Officer.
| Vietnam screens arrivals from China
[09 April 2013] Vietnam has started monitoring the body temperature of passengers arriving from China following a number of human fatalities from bird flu in China. Temperature-measuring devices have been installed at international airports in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City as well as border gates along the border with China. Those found to be at risk or coming from places that have experienced the latest strain of the virus or have been in direct contact with sick or dead fowls, will be quarantined and their blood samples sent for testing.
| CPF up for renewable energy
[09 April 2013] Charoen Pokphand Foods Plc (CPF), Thailand’s largest agribusiness operator, is kicking off its three cogeneration plants and a biodiesel plant this year. The three cogeneration plants, worth USD 17 million, are scheduled to be operational soon. These are at chicken plants in Saraburi province, Min Buri and Nong Chok districts. These three plants will reduce carbon-dioxide emission by 30,000 tonnes and save 50,000 mega joules of electricity a year. The company will soon open another biodiesel unit in Nong Chok aiming to turn 50,000 litres a month of used oil into 47,500 litres of B100 biodiesel.
| Japfa builds more feedmills in Vietnam
[09 April 2013] To cover the growing demand for pig feeds in Vietnam, Japfa Comfeed Vietnam, a subsidiary of PT Japfa Comfeed Indonesia, is building two new feedmills in the country, according to General Director Nguyen Quoc Trung. He said the first feedmill is being built in the northern province of Hoa Binh. Scheduled to be operating in June 2013, the plant will have a capacity of 13,000 tonnes/month. Also in the middle of 2013, Japfa will start building a new feedmill in the central province of Binh Dinh. It will have a capacity of 15,000 tonnes/month and it is scheduled to be operational by the end of 2014.
| Philippines demands Customs’ chief's resignation
[09 April 2013] Citing his failure to curb smuggling of various agricultural products, leaders of various agri industries in the Philippines have called for the resignation of Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Rozzano Rufino Biazon. Abono party-list Chairman Rosendo So said that last year, smuggled agri products “amounted to USD 778.2 million,” as he charged that Mr Biazon is making the Philippines the “smuggling capital of Asia.” Various industry leaders have charged that the unabated smuggling has led to losses not only for local producers but the government as well in terms of unpaid taxes.
| C&C Eggland to double capacity
[08 April 2013] C&C Eggland Co Ltd, a mid-sized Thai egg producer, plans to expand its layer farm and build a feedmill in the near future. Navin Intanurangsi, the farm’s Sales Manager and the founder’s eldest son, told Asian Agribiz that the company plans to have a total of 20 layer houses and five pullet farms by 2015. Total egg production will then be 700,000 eggs/day, up from 300,000 eggs/day currently. Total investment to realise this will be around USD 20.4 million. Currently there are 12 layer houses plus three pullet houses in the area. The company also plans to construct a feedmill costing USD 1.36 million.
| China's bird flu affects US soy prices
[08 April 2013] Soybean prices in the US plunged to a 10-month low as a fresh bird flu outbreak in China could lead to a slump in Chinese soybean imports from the US. It is expected that the outbreak would affect poultry consumption in China and prompt farmers to cull their flocks to prevent the spread of the new bird-flu strain. As China is the world's largest soybean importer, the drop in demand will have a significant impact on global soy prices. Soybean futures for May delivery fell 0.8% to USD 13.6/bushel on the Chicago Board of Trade last week, marking the lowest closing price since June 2012.
| Vietnam increases penalty on feed safety violation
[08 April 2013] Foreign feed makers in Vietnam could be expelled from the country if they are found to violate a decree being drafted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to tighten control on feed safety. The decree stipulates varying degrees of penalties, with the most serious violation being the use of banned substances in animal feed. The violator could be subject to the highest fine of USD 4800. If a foreign feedmiller is found to repeat the violation, its business licence will be revoked. The decree is expected to take effect later in 2013.
| Philippines still lags behind in food exports
[08 April 2013] The Philippines need to iron out some fundamental issues plaguing its food industry and causing the sector to lag behind other Asean members. Roberto Amores, President of the Philippine Food Processors and Exporters Organisation Inc noted that while receipts from food exports reached USD 3.55 billion last year, much can be done to enhance its export competitiveness. Thailand, he said, earns USD 20 billion annually from food exports. Filipino food exporters need better access to technology and cheaper inputs. The industry needs to relook its investment and finance policies, while the peso’s appreciation against the US dollar and poor market access have hurt the industry. The Philippine food industry is composed of processed foods, fresh foods and marine products. Its biggest markets are Japan, the US, China, Hong Kong and Singapore.
| Calata Corp to import Argentinian farm products into the Philippines
[05 April 2013] Calata Corp has signed an exclusive deal with Argentina’s Agroservicios Huboldt SA to bring in the latter's products to the Philippines. Calata said it has been “granted the exclusive right to identify and represent business opportunities in all the aspects of animal feed production, cereal mix, protein concentration, vitamin-mineral pre-mix and every product related to animal nutrition throughout the Philippines.” Agroservicios is engaged in several businesses including wholesale and storage of grains, oilseeds, soybean, maize, sorghum, wheat, sunflower and other related products, production of a complete line of food and mix for animal nutrition including technical services in relation thereto, and bio-development, consisting of research and development of agricultural products.
| New bird flu cases detected in China
[05 April 2013] Chinese authorities have confirmed two additional cases of a new strain of bird flu virus, the H7N9 strain. According to ft.com scientists have classified the full genetic sequence of the strain which shows it to be a ‘low pathogenic virus’ for birds, a strain harder to detect in flocks than the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain. So far Vietnam has announced a ban on poultry imports from China. Hong Kong, meanwhile, assured the public that live chicken imports from the mainland were safe. “We have a registration system for all farms on the mainland which supply live chickens to Hong Kong,” said Secretary for Food and Health Ko Wing-man, according to the South China Morning Post. “If there’s a bird flu outbreak at a farm or at any place within 13km of the farm, we’ll stop imports from that particular chicken farm.” China has yet to find any animals infected with H7N9.
| Philippine government seeks export market for prawns
[05 April 2013] The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) is hopeful that the local shrimp industry will once again become export oriented as demand from markets like Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore in on the rise. DA Secretary Proceso Alcala said the government will push for sustainable shrimp farming to avoid the diseases that led to the decline of the industry several years ago. In 2012, the country produced 48,196 tonnes of tiger prawns, up slightly from the previous year. The government is targeting continued growth and is studying new production areas.
| Philippines fisheries output to rise in 2013
[05 April 2013] Philippine fisheries production will to grow by 7% this year. In a report by BusinessMirror said Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Director Asis Perez said that the growth will be driven by commercial fisheries, which is expected to grow by 10% in 2013 following the lifting of the ban on tuna fishing in Pocket 1 of the Pacific Ocean last year.
| Thai exports fall
[04 April 2013] Thailand’s exports in February dropped by 5.8% year-on-year due to strengthening baht and sluggish global demand. Vatchari Vimooktayon, the Commerce’s Permanent Secretary, said in February Thailand exported USD 17.9 billion, down by 5.8%. In baht terms, the value was down by 11.3%. Exports of frozen poultry dropped by 6.5%, frozen and processed shrimp fell by 22.2%, fruits and vegetables contracted by 8.1% and rubber fell by 11.8%.
| US pet exports to the Philippines up 12% in 2012
[04 April 2013] Exports of US pet foods to the Philippines grew 12% last year, more than doubling in five years, a report by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said. The report attributed the growth to the Philippines’ improving economy, higher disposable income and familiarity with US brands. The USDA sees pet food exports to the country reaching USD 25 million by end-2013 and up to USD 40 million in 2018.
| US complains about Chinese trade barriers
[04 April 2013] The US is taking China to task for continuing to maintain barriers to bilateral trade, including those restricting US beef exports. A report issued by the US Trade Representative’s office focuses heavily on trade problems with China. “China continues to maintain market access barriers to U.S. beef and beef product exports that are inconsistent with international standards of the World Animal Health Organization,” the report states. “Reopening China’s beef market consistent with science and international standards, as well as in a commercially viable manner, is an important priority.”
| More Tops to come
[04 April 21013] Central Food Retail Co., plans to invest USD 34 million to expand its supermarkets this year. The company will open 12-15 new branches of Tops Supermarket, Tops Market, and Central Food Hall and 50 new branches of Tops Daily. Currently the company has 232 retail outlets, of which 129 are Tops Daily stores. Last year the company also won the bid to run FamilyMart convenience store chain in Thailand. It also has plans to convert Tops Daily outlets with less than 250 sqm into FamilyMart stores.
| US F&B exports to the Philippines seen to grow
[04 April 2013] The US sees its food and beverage (F&B) exports to the Philippines continuing to grow this year, forecasting sales of close to USD 1 billion for 2013 after posting record levels last year. A report by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service said that in 2012, US F&B exports to the country rose 13% to USD 859 million. Topping the exports are dairy products, meat & poultry, snack foods, and processed fruits & vegetables. The report also said that “while 2013 sales for these products are expected to remain strong, prospects are excellent for a wide variety of F&B products, particularly those that can be classified as ‘healthy,’ ‘gourmet,’ and ‘convenient.’
| CP Vietnam builds new feedmills
[03 April 2013] CP Vietnam Corporation will open a new feedmill in Vietnam's northern province of Hai Duong to expand its feed and food business in the country. Scheduled to be operational in April 2013, the plant will have a capacity of 720,000 tonnes/year. "The plant is equipped with the most modern milling technology to ensure that our feed is in compliance with international quality standard and traceability," said CP Vietnam's General Director Sooksunt Jiumjaiswanglerg. Along with this, the company is building a new feedmill in Binh Dinh province to expand its business in central Vietnam. It will have a capacity of 216,000 tonnes/year and be completed in 2014.
| US corn planting figures optimistic
[03 April 2013] The USDA has presented some encouraging estimates for the forthcoming US corn crop. Corn stocks at the end of February were reported at 5,399 million bushels—8% above average trade estimates. This was explained by lower than expected corn usage during the last quarter. US corn plantings are expected to be the largest since 1936 at 97.3 million acres—in-line with average trade estimates. The USDA however, is estimating soybean planting at 77.1 million acres—1.2 million acres below average trade estimates.
| Thai Ministry to help egg producers
[03 April 2013] Thailand’s Ministry of Agricultural and Cooperatives will set aside USD 406,500 to build a 1500 tonne silo for feed materials to help ease the rising cost of raw materials facing egg producers of Egg Cooperatives in Chachoengsao province. Yukol Limlamthong, Minister of Agricultural and Cooperatives said the silo will help stabilise the prices of raw materials which have troubled egg producers.
| Chinese pig producers see loss in 2013
[03 April 2013] Chinese pig producers are anticipating a loss this year, thanks to higher feed prices that have pulled down margins for many pig farmers, a report by the US Grains Council said. During meetings with village level swine producers last week, the Council learned that the cost of production is currently around USD 0.91/lb while the live pig price is only about USD 0.99/lb. As a result, many pig farmers are cutting back on inventories and sows to reduce cost.
| Japfa subsidiaries bag loans
[03 April 2013] Japfa Comfeed Indonesia has confirmed that two subsidiaries had obtained loans in the first quarter of 2013 to purchase machinery and tools investment, and for capital working. Vaksindo Satwa Nusantara that produces poultry vaccines got a loan of IDR 25 billion and Suri Tani Pemuka that produces aquaculture feed received IDR 200 billion.
| Betagro’s 10th pig farm up and running
[2 April 2013] Betagro Group’s latest pig farm has recently become operational with technology addressing animal welfare and environmental concerns. Vasit Taepaisitphongse, Chief Operating Officer, said: “This is the 10th pig farm of Betagro and we use high quality feed from the group while strictly following standards and regulations of animal welfare.” The farm is equipped with electronic sow feeders from Europe with a radio frequency identification system that can feed sows based on their individual need of food and measure the feed conversion ratio of each individual sow.
| Indonesia mulls breeding cattle in Australia
[2 April 2013] In an effort to meet its beef self-sufficiency target the Indonesian government said last week it was considering running a cattle breeding farm in Australia. State-owned Enterprises Minister Dahlan Iskan said the move would also ensure lower production costs, roughly one-third of the cost in Indonesia. “But the fattening is indeed best done in Indonesia where increasing the weights of cattle is cheap and quick,” he told the Jakarta Globe. Mr Dahlan added that the ministry would delegate the job of managing the farm to existing state firms such as livestock company Berdikari and agribusiness firm Rajawali Nusantara Indonesia.
| Vietnam's catfish exports to the US gain higher price
[2 April 2013] Despite a massive increase in import duties catfish being exported from Vietnam to the US has jumped 10% in value and is expected to rise again in April, thanks to tightening supply in the US and rising prices from other exporting countries. The current export prices are USD 3.75/kg for high quality fish, and USD 3.56/kg for standard quality fish.
| Culling of bird-flu infected chickens in Indonesia
[2 April 2013] Since the beginning of January a total of 2,070 chickens have died in two Batam sub-districts, Air Raja and Tanjung Riau after they tested positive for H5N1 virus. Indonesian authorities have culled all chickens within a 1km radius of the location where bird-flu infected chickens were found. Local producers have been warned not to sell-on their chickens and consumres have been warned not to consume chickens from the sub-districts.
| Biomin launches mycotoxin app
[2 April 2013] Biomin has launched the Mycofix app for iOS and Android devices that will allow users to get instant access data and information on mycotoxin occurrence and possible risks from around the world. In addition to updated data, the app will also has other features including a risk level indicator for animals, a guide on mycotoxins and its effects, and mycotoxin related updates from Biomin. The free app can be downloaded from AppStore and Google Play.
| CPF to invest USD 120m in the Philippines
[29 March 2013] Thailand’s agribusiness giant Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF) Public Co Ltd has earmarked USD 120 million over the next three years to expand its operations in the Philippines. In a statement, Kasem Manoi, Finance Officer of CPF’s Philippine unit, said the amount will be invested into its livestock and aquaculture projects, noting that they “view the Philippines as an important growth area for CPF’s business interests.” CPF’s operations in the country comprise livestock operations including broiler layer and swine farming as well as aquaculture business focusing on shrimp and fish.
| Growing opportunities in feed in Indonesia
[29 March 2013] Secretary General of the Indonesian Feed Mill Association, Desianto Budi Utomo said that investment opportunities in the animal feed business in Indonesia is still wide open. “The need for animal feed continues to rise. This year the animal feed industry is expected to grow by 15%.” The main factor driving the growth of the animal feed industry is the increasing livestock population, especially poultry, with increasing consumption of animal protein.
| Alliance Select converts property
[29 March 2013] Alliance Select Food International Inc (ASFII) has converted the 8-ha property housing its tuna cannery and salmon processing facilities in General Santos City into a government-registered economic zone. ASFII said its subsidiary Alliance MHI Properties Inc has signed an agreement with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority to turn the area into an agro-industrial economic zone to be called ‘Foodport Processing Zone’ (FPZ). Locators in the FPZ, which include ASFII’s tuna cannery, can manufacturing plant and smoked salmon processing facilities, will be given incentives that include a 5% tax on gross income in perpetuity, exemption from all local and national taxes, tax-free importation of machinery, exemption from export taxes and zero-rated value-added tax on local purchases.
| US poultry groups see potential in Indon market
[29 March 2013] The US National Chicken Council, The USA Poultry & Egg Export Council and the National Turkey Federation are confident if their poultry products had fair access to the Indonesian market exports could hit USD 50 million annually. Last year US poultry exports to Indonesia stood at USD 358,000. Indonesia allows only a small annual import quota which permits only whole turkey and whole ducks.
| Thailand set for competition after AEC
[29 March 2013] Thailand’s several industries including some agricultural products may face a gloomy outlook when the Asean Economic Community (AEC) arrives at the end of 2015. According to a survey conducted by the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), some sectors that may become less competitive include processed seafood, tapioca, palm oil, coffee, white rice, garments and textiles. Last year the country held an 18.4% export market share in Asean, up from 18% in 2011.
| New Hope invests in Indonesia
[28 March 2013] New Hope Indonesia will build a new feedmill in Medan, North Sumatra with a capacity of 24,000 tonnes per month. The feed mill is expected to be operational in 2014. Chief Marketing Officer Rachmat Djojo said, "We already own the land and we are now taking care of approvals." The investment value of the feedmill is about USD 5.1 million. In addition, New Hope Indonesia will build a broiler breeding farm in Cirebon with an investment of USD 3.6 billion.
| Japfa to set aside USD 102m in capex
[28 March 2013] PT Japfa Comfeed Indonesia hopes to match last year’s capital expenditure of USD 102 million to keep its revenue and profit uptake in line with the industry’s expected 15% growth. The Jakarta Post reported that the company plans to pour the majority of its expenditure into their poultry business which contributed over 80% to the company’s revenues. Finance Director Ignatius Herry Wibowo, meanwhile, said that the company, which experienced impacts from hikes in electricity tariffs, fuel prices and workers wages, was considering price increases as well. “However, we shall raise prices proportionately to avoid negatively impacting farmers,” he said.
| Drop in Indian corn exports
[28 March 2013] Indian corn exports in the current season is expected to drop a third over last year's record high of 4.8 million tonnes on a lower crop and rising domestic demand. Trade expects that Indian corn exports would be in the range of 3-3.5 tonnes in the current crop-marketing year, which ends in August 2013. “The lower output of the monsoon sown crop has resulted in a decline in exports during the first half,” said a trader. India expects to produce 21 million tonnes of corn in 2012-2013, slightly lower than last year's production of 21.57 million tonnes.
| High input prices hit Vietnam feed producers
[28 March 2013] As many as 40 out of total 234 animal feed producers in Vietnam have closed their business while numerous others have been forced to scale down their production to reduce losses, said Le Ba Linh, Chairman of the Vietnam Animal Feed Association. Citing heavy dependence on imported raw materials, fierce competition from foreign rivals and high production costs, especially various administrative fees, Mr Lich said these factors contributed to losses. In 2012, Vietnam imported 8 million tonnes of raw materials worth over USD 3 billion to produce 15.5 million tonnes of animal feed. While the majority of the 194 animal feed makers still working are Vietnamese companies, they cannot compete with the small number of foreign-invested companies or joint ventures that have large sources of capital and good management skills.
| India & EU FTA worries milk producer
[28 March 2013] Amul, India's largest milk producer, has warned the government that allowing imports of cheaper, subsidised dairy products from Europe could have adverse effects on over 3.2 million dairy farmers in India and hurt consumers. Amul has written to Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma that the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union (EU) must ensure that the economic and commercial rights of farmers and consumers are not compromised. The EU wants to export dairy products to India, the world's largest producer and consumer of milk, and has sought a concessional duty rate for cheese imports in the FTA, which is now in the final stage of negotiations. "We fear that by entering into an FTA with the EU, India's exports may increase slightly but imports will grow much more," Amul's Managing Director RS Sodhi stated.
| Vietnam to build fisheries complex
[27 March 2013] Vietnam plans to build a new fishery complex costing USD 37 million in the central province of Khanh Hoa by 2015 to develop fisheries along then central coast of the country. The complex will include a fishing port costing USD 30 million, a seafood auction facility, a frozen warehouse, an ice production facility, a warehouse for raw material, a facility for fishing vessel maintenance and infrastructure for trade services. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has proposed that the government secure funds from Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA) for the project.
| Indonesia’s corn, soy production up
[27 March 2013] Indonesia’s Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) noted that corn production in Indonesia in 2012 increased by 9.83% compared to 19.38 million tonnes in the year before. According to BPS, the increase was due to an additional 95,220 ha planted and an increase in productivity of around 3.28 quintals per ha. Soy output grew by 0.04% only to 851,290 tonnes.BPS said that although the soybean planting area has decreased by about 54,380 ha, productivity increased by 1.32 quintals per ha.
| CGE suffers loss in Q4 2012
[27 March 2013] Sri Lanka's largest poultry integrator Ceylon Grain Elevators suffered a loss of USD 1.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2012 due to weak sales and higher costs. The company reported a loss of USD 0.02/share in the quarter. In the year ending December 2012, the group reported profits of USD 1.06 million, down from USD 2.73 million a year earlier. Chairman Primus Cheng Chih Kwong said CGE was hit by higher energy costs, a depreciated Sri Lankan rupee and weak demand. Falling DOC sales forced its poultry breeding subsidiary, Three Acre Farms to cull parent birds early. The subsidiary lost USD 0.26 million in the fourth quarter of 2012, down from a profit of USD 0.29 million a year earlier.
| Philippine fishery sector seen recovering
[27 March 2013] Philippine Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said the country’s fishery sector is likely to recover this year, thanks to the decision by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) to give the Philippines extended access to High Seas Pocket 1 (HSP 1) and the lifting of the sardine ban in both the Zamboanga Sea and the Visayan Sea. The WCPFC extended the country’s access to HSP 1, a known tuna fishing ground, until February 28, 2014. Mr Alcala said this will boost the country’s tuna production which has been on the decline. Meanwhile the lifting of the sardine ban will also “will boost fishery production.”
| Philippines ban poultry from Netherlands and Italy
[27 March 2013] The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) has imposed a temporary ban on imports of poultry and poultry products from The Netherlands and Italy following reports of avian influenza (AI) outbreaks in those countries. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) reported separate outbreaks of low pathogenic AI on a farm in Medena, Italy and Gerderland, The Netherlands. DA Secretary Proceso Alcala ordered the immediate suspension of imports as well as the confiscation of all shipments of poultry products, except heat-treated products, from the two countries.
| Sojitz opens feedmill in Vietnam
[26 March 2013] Japanese trading firm Sojitz has opened its first feedmill in Vietnam, making it the first Japanese firm to enter into the Vietnamese feed market. With a total investment of USD 24 million, Sojitz contributed 51% and the remainder is from Kyodo Shiryo Co, Japan's major feed producer. Located on Thinh Phat Industrial Park in Vietnam's southern province of Long An, the plant has a capacity of 200,000 tonne/year. "We plan to increase the output from the plant to 2 million tonnes/year by 2020," said Sojitz Vietnam General Director Takashi Ishiguro. He said the plant will initially produce pig feeds and then poultry and other livestock feeds. Its target markets are in the southern provinces of Long An and Tien Giang as well as the whole region of the Mekong Delta.
| Indian agri-food exports to hit record
[26 March 2013] India expects its exports of agricultural products and processed food to hit a record in the current financial year, which will end in March 2013. Exports had already surpassed last year’s annual figure in the first 10 months of the current financial year, witnessing a strong demand for India’s ready-to-eat and raw food products from foreign markets. Data compiled by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda) showed India’s agri and processed foods exports rose 63% to a record USD 18.62 billion in the first 10 months of 2012-13. “Overall exports of agri and processed foods might surpass USD 22.93 billion by the end of this financial year,” said a senior Apeda official.
| NTB to tighten poultry movement
[26 March 2013] The West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) provincial administration in Indonesia has ordered its animal husbandry and health agency to ban the entry of poultry from other provinces following outbreaks of the avian influenza in ducks recently. This prohibition is part of efforts to ensure that the virus doesn’t enter NTB, which has so far been declared free of the virus. “We aim to tighten poultry movement. We worry that poultry from outside NTB might spread the disease to our province. Therefore, we have decided to ban poultry from outside NTB,” said the agency head, Herry Erpan Rayes.
| Thailand addresses egg oversupply
[26 March 2013] Thailand's Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has proposed to the Cabinet, measures to solve the oversupply of eggs. The ministry has suggested that laying hens be retired at 65 weeks, putting around 2.5 million more hens on retirement. It has also proposed a financial compensation of USD 0.35 for a retired hen. Given the rough count of hens, a total amount of USD 860,000 will have to be spent on those chickens. According to the Ministry, there is an oversupply of 4-5 million eggs per day. Another solution is to launch a public relations campaign to encourage Thais to eat more eggs particularly in the provinces where eggs are produced. The campaign is expected to require a budget of USD 267,000.
| Indon Dairy Board requests increase in milk price
[26 March 2013] Indonesian Dairy Board is urging the government to set a higher price for milk sold to the processing industry. The board’s Chairman, Teguh Boediyana said the board had delivered a formal request to the industry ministry to set the price at USD 0.44 per litre or 10% more to benefit small farmers. “The current price doesn’t even include how much the farmers have to spend on feeding their cows. Production costs stand at USD 0.42 per litre, but milk factories only pay USD 0.41 per litre.”
| F&F Food ventures on further processing
[25 March 2013] F&F Food Co Ltd, Thailand’s medium-size chicken and feed producer, plans to embark on a further processing with its own plant. Suroj Surojananon, General Manager, told Asian Agribiz that the company is in search of a Japanese partner for a joint venture. Its further processing plant will be located in Suphanburi province with an estimated investment of around USD 10.3 million. “We plan to produce popular cooked chicken products such as chicken karaage and grilled breast meat for prospective Japanese and European customers,” he said.
| US slams Indonesia's meat import policies
[25 March 2013] Indonesia's restrictive import policies for livestock and beef have come under fire by the US. Trade Representative Ron Kirk has asked the World Trade Organisation to establish a dispute settlement panel. Since 2011, Indonesia has imposed quotas and restrictions on beef and cattle imports, as it tries to become self-sufficient in agriculture. The US claims that Indonesia's policies are a complex web of import licences, and unfair on US farmers.
| Tianli's revenue declines
[25 March 2013] China's Tianli Agritech Inc has revealed that 2012 proved to be a challenging year for the company due to unstable market conditions. Its revenue dropped 7.4% to USD 26.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2012 with total hogs sold increasing 14% to 115,696 hogs. "We saw revenue decline for the first time in our company's history," said Tianli's Chairwoman and CEO, Hanying Li. "Looking ahead, we expect gradual recovery of pork prices in the coming quarters. With our black hog program in Enshi Prefecture continuing to make significant progress, we believe Tianli is well positioned to take full advantage of the ongoing industry consolidation and regain its growth momentum in coming years."
| Oversupply in Punjab affects prices
[25 March 2013] The poultry industry in Punjab, Pakistan has come under severe financial crisis after restrictions on exports to Afghanistan. This has led to a daily loss of INR 400 million to the farmers, said President of the Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) Abdul Basit. The PPA is filing an appeal in the Supreme Court for removal of these restrictions, he said. The local oversupply has led to live bird prices dropping from USD 1.2/kg to USD 0.8/kg.
| India tops feed, material exports to Vietnam
[22 March 2013] India raked in USD 138 million from selling animal feed and materials to Vietnam in the first two months of 2013, becoming the biggest provider of the commodity for the country, said the General Department of Customs. This was a 24.4% year-on-year increase and accounted for 38.33% of Vietnam’s total spending on import of animal feed and materials between January and February. Argentina ranked the second largest provider of animal feed and materials for Vietnam in the same period with a value of USD 39 million, jumping three-fold from the same period last year. Between January and February, Vietnam spent USD 360 million on importing animal feed and materials, up 17.8% from last year.
| Vietnam faces FMD and blue ear disease
[22 March 2013] Outbreaks of foot-and-mouth (FMD) and blue ear disease are recurring in central Vietnam. Pham Van Dong, Director of the Animal Health Department said the two diseases are spreading in Ngue An, Quang Nam and Quang Tri. In Nghe An Province, nearly 400 pigs have died. He said illegal transportation and trade of livestock have caused the diseases to spread. In the central-northern province of Thanh Hoa, nearly 600 pigs have died and 200 culled. Authorities in Thanh Hoa province are calling for concerned agencies to isolate sick animals and vaccinate the healthy ones. They also urged the provincial animal health agency to set up quarantine stations.
| Thai farmers bank on raw pork export
[22 March 2013] Thailand’s pig farmers in zone 2 are hoping that the OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health) will certify their area free from foot and mouth disease (FMD) this June. Surachai Sutthitham, President of The Swine Raisers Association of Thailand, said the OIE will come to investigate zone 2 which include Chachoengsao, Chonburi, Rayong, Chantaburi, Trat, Prachinburi and Nakhonnayok provinces. There will be export opportunities for fresh pork to Japan if the area is certified free from FMD.
| Egg price drop in India
[22 March 2013] Oman's ban on egg imports from India and falling domestic consumption has led to a severe egg price decline in India to USD 0.07/egg. This is below production cost said Ravi Kumar, Director of Ravi Poultry Farms. The ban by Oman was due to be lifted in January, but has been extended. "For almost 10 months, farmers have had a price realisation of 10% below their actual cost of production. Last one month, it declined by 20%," said Dr PV Senthil, Secretary of Livestock and Agri Farmers Trade Association.
| Vietnam to sue US over unfair treatment of fish exporters
[22 March 2013] The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (Vasep) will take legal action against the US Department of Commerce (DOC), demanding the DOC to change the decision to choose Indonesia as the sole benchmark country to calculate the anti-dumping rate on Vietnam’s tra fish exported to the US. Vasep General Secretary Truong Dinh Hoe said the DOC’s decision is unfair and affects not only Vietnam’s seafood exports but also leads to US consumers having to pay higher prices. Vasep is dismayed at the DOC’s sudden replacement of the reference country and the association also opposes the anti-dumping tax levels the department has imposed on frozen tra fish fillets imported from Vietnam. In the past eight years, the DOC has used Bangladesh as the sole reference country.
| Chore-Time globalises market potential
[21 March 2013] US-based Chore-Time, has brought together four separate units in the poultry sector under the single banner of the Chore-Time Group. Executive Vice-President & General Manager, Mark K. Stephens said the change was in line with the Group’s new focus to address international markets, especially Asia and Latin America. "What we’re doing is globalising our potential and market reach beyond the US,” Mr Stephens told Asian Agribiz. “The potential to grow is immense both from a market and quality perspective," he added.
| Shanghui to boost production by 50%
[21 March 2013] Shuanghui Group, China’s biggest hog processor, will invest USD 965 million this year in building new projects in Harbin, Changchun, Shenyang, Nanning and Kunming with a plan to boost production volume by 50%. Bloomberg reported that Chairman Wan Long revealed that the Henan-based company may slaughter 15.5 million hogs compared with 10.3 million last year and sales may reach USD 10.1 billion.
| Malaysia increases export of chicken to GCC
[21 March 2013] McDonald’s Arabia recently announced it will increase by 12.3% its imports of halal chicken from Malaysia for its 369 restaurants across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. A Kuwaiti delegation recently visited Malaysia to observe the systems McDonald’s has in place for the preparation of halal food. The delegation visited the Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia, the local halal authority, the Mac Food factory and two halal-certified slaughterhouses.
| Amul to build milk plant
[21 March 2013] Amul, India's largest milk processor will build a new dairy plant in Uttar Pradesh state to support an initiative of the state government in linking local farmers with milk processors. Located in Lacknow, the plant will have a capacity of 500,000 litres/day. It is expected to be operational in 2014. Alok Ranjan, the state's Agriculture Production Commissioner said Amul has agreed to set up the plant to process milk from local farmers.
| Myanmar agri investor list grows
[21 March 2013] Asian agriculture investors are seeking opportunities in Myanmar after the country issued its new foreign investment law. Roughly, important clauses on foreign ownership and start-up capital requirements have been diluted and will in future be decided on a case-by-case basis by the Myanmar Investment Commission and “between foreign and local partners”. Japan’s Mitsui and Vina Capital from Vietnam have signed MOUs with the Myanmar Agribusiness Public Corporation (Mapco) for cooperation in agricultural development, Eleven News Myanmar reported. Mitsui is expected to construct an integrated food and energy production plant in the Yangon region in a joint venture with Mapco. Vina Capital seeks investments in various agricultural firms.
| Meat processors support CP Philippines
[20 March 2013] Philippine meat processors have backed Charoen Pokphand Foods Philippines, saying the company’s projects would help address the inadequate supply of manufacturing meat used by the meat processing industry. In a position paper submitted to the Board of Investments, the Philippines Association of Meat Processors Inc , said that the CP Phils projects “will be fully beneficial at all levels of the livestock and poultry industry given that the derivative benefits of increasing the supply of swine breeders and day-old-chicks will strengthen the backyard industry of both the hog and poultry sectors.”
| China's soy farmers fight cheaper imports
[20 March 2013] Imports of cheaper genetically modified soybeans could upset China's cooking oil and livestock feed industries. Chinese soybean farmers have urged the government to restrict imports which have risen to as high as 80%. Heilongjiang accounts for about one-third of China's annual soybean output. The province's soybean planting area, however, slumped from 4.7 million hectares in 2009 to 2.53 million hectares in 2012 as farmers planted more corn, which has a higher yield and is more profitable. Besides, soybean processing plants are reluctant to buy domestic soybeans. At present, imported soybeans sell at CNY 4,400/tonne (USD707.80), while domestic soybeans are priced at CNY 4,600/tonne (USD 740), said Wang Xiaoyu, deputy secretary-general of the Heilongjiang Soybean Association.
| Source of pig carcasses yet to be established
[20 March 2013] Authorities in China have yet to establish the source of the dead pigs found floating in the Huangpu River that flows through Shanghai. The number of dead pigs retrieved so far has exceeded 13,000. While Shanghai has blamed farmers in Jiaxing in neighbouring Zhejiang province for dumping pigs afflicted by an outbreak of porcine circovirus, the local government, has said the area is not the sole source of the carcasses.
| Ikea Singapore resumes sale of meatballs
[20 March 2013] The Singapore branches of Swedish retailer Ikea have resumed selling its signature meatballs last week after DNA results conducted by a local independent laboratory confirmed the meatballs sold locally contain only pork and beef, sourced from Australia, while its halal product, sold only at its Tampines outlet, is made of beef and chicken, sourced from Brazil and Australia. Ikea Singapore had temporary stopped selling meatballs after officials in the EU detected horse meat in meatballs labeled as beef and pork.
| Taiwan-US trade talks leave out pork imports
[20 March 2013] Taiwan and the US have agreed to strengthen economic ties after concluding trade talks, the first in six years. The talks however significantly left out pork. Taiwanese pig farmers are worried their government might lift a ban on imports of US pork containing ractopamine. Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs reaffirmed its opposition to imports of US pork. The US, meanwhile, said that it hopes Taiwan’s food safety regulators would follow standards set by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the global food safety body.
| Hong Ha Feed to establish broiler business
[19 March 2013] Hong Ha Feed, one of the largest Vietnamese feedmillers, is planning to start an integrated broiler business, starting with a broiler PS farm with 50,000 birds. The move is aimed at boosting its feed sales to its maximum milling capacity of 350,000 tonnes/year in the next three years, said Bui Kim Thu, CEO of Hong Ha Feed. The broiler PS farm will be in Hoa Binh County in the northern province of Ha Nam, where its feedmill and headquarters are located. The farm is expected to be operational this year.
| Thailand’s feed production up
[19 March 2013] Thailand is likely to produce a total 16.5 million tonnes of feeds this year, up 6.5% from 2012, said the Thai Feed Mill Association. According to Boontham Aramsiriwat, Secretary of the Thai Feed Mill Association, Thailand produced a total of 15.5 million tonnes of feeds in 2012, up from 15.2 million tonnes in 2011, as increase in production of livestock and aquaculture defined the increase. This year, Mr Boontham expects to see prices of raw materials ease by 5% from last year, thanks to better harvests.
| Oversupply puts pressure on South Korea's pork sector
[19 March 2013] The US is facing an uphill battle with pork exports to South Korea due to an oversupply of domestic pork and cautious customers. But exporters are working around this by targeting specific product niches and new distributions channels. After losing one-third of its swine herd (3.3 million head) in the 2010-2011 foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak, South Korean pork producers already have rebuilt the herd to 9.92 million head. Recognising the problem, the Korean Pork Producers Association (KPPA) has called for a voluntary 10% reduction of the domestic sow herd by the end of 2013.
| Punjab intensifies pig farming
[19 March 2013] Pig farming has emerged as a sunrise industry in Punjab, India with growing demand for pork from the hospitality industry and fast food chains in the country. "Pig farming is a lucrative proposition for small and marginal farmers,” said Sukhwinder Singh, a small farmer. “I can rear up to 1,000 pigs in one acre, compared to only five head of cattle in one acre of land. Rakesh Banga, who runs a slaughterhouse in Delhi, said that this is a high-yield business.“But we are looking for good pig farms,” he said.
| CP India imports processed foods from Thailand
[19 March 2013] After launching its fried chicken chain under the 'Five Star Chicken' brand, CP India, a subsidiary of Charoen Pokphand Foods Plc from Thailand, is planning to bring in a range of processed foods into India. Sanjeev Pant, Vice President of CP India, said the company plans to introduce a range of processed foods such as sausages, nuggets, processed fish and shrimp, rice dishes and other ready to eat and packaged foods in the next few years. CP India may initially import these products from Thailand. "As lifestyles in India change, these products will become important for the Indian consumer," he said.
| Ensuring healthy piglets for efficient production
[18 March 2013] One of the many challenges facing pig producers around the world, especially those in Asia, is ensuring that their piglets make it to the fattening shed. What can be done to ensure that more piglets are successfully weaned and eventually find their way to market? At the 2013 Pig Feed Quality Conference that will take place on April 22-23 in Bangkok, Thailand, experts will examine and discuss, among other things, management influences on weaner performance as well as the nutritional tools available to support successful weaning, particularly the appropriate diet formulation. Furthermore, the important topic of maintaining gut integrity and health and the various techniques and products available to support this will be critically evaluated. More details here.
| S Khonkaen’s profit up
[18 March 2013] S Khonkaen Foods Pcl, Thailand’s key producer and exporter of dried shredded pork and Chinese sausage, expects to see its revenue grow by 15% this year. According to CEO Charoen Rujirasopon, in 2012 the company’s revenue stood at USD 62.3 million, up 8.6 % compared to the previous year. Profit rose 83% to USD 3.13 million. Mr Charoen said that the company’s ready-to-eat business has had outstanding growth with increasing OEM orders.
| CPF up for carbon footprint project
[18 March 2013] As many as 133 products of Charoen Pokphand Foods Pcl (CPF), Thailand’s largest agribusiness operator, have received the ‘carbon footprint’ label. According to Kularb Kimsri, CPF’s Assistant Vice President of the Global Standard System Centre, CPF has begun assessment of the environmental impact of its products with the Carbon Footprint Project and other measures to manage its greenhouse gas emissions and resource consumption. The labelling covers products marketed locally and overseas. It helps prepare the company to take on the challenge of being the ‘Sustainable Kitchen of the World’.
| VIV ASIA 2013
[18 March 2013]
Neovia promotes AGP alternative product
“Antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) are risk managers, but they aren't 100% efficient,” said Additives Product Manager of Neovia Marie-Laurence Le Ray in a technical seminar at VIV Asia 2013. “That is why we need the right alternative. And B-Safe, which is a combination of patented activated copper on specific clay, can be the right alternative.” She added that B-Safe is now backed by 36 trials in poultry and 23 trials in pig. These trials have proved that B-Safe helps to maintain the digestive balance and limits the development of pathogenic gastro-intestinal flora.
New high performance fan from Chore-Time
Chore-Time presented the new Endura fan, the biggest cone fan in the market. Regional Sales Manager Asia, Carmelo Ferlito said, “The most important feature of this high performance 57 inch tunnel fan is that it consumes less energy. It also features a combination of 65% plastic and 35% fibre glass. This combination makes it more resistant to corrosion and more durable under both extreme high and extreme low temperatures.” Mr Ferlito believes that this new fan will be suitable for Asia where the climate is humid. “We have already sold units in Pakistan and Taiwan,” he added.
Foodmate launches multifunctional deboner
Poultry processing systems pioneer Foodmate launched a multifunctional machine to debone chicken legs, drumsticks and tails called Opti LTD. “This multifunctional machine is popular in Asia where dark meat deboning is switching from manual to automatic operation,” said Foodmate President David Hazenbroek. Some key benefits of Opti LTD are low cost of ownership, designed to debone any bird size and debones 100 whole legs, thighs or drumsticks per minute.
| VIV ASIA 2013
[15 March 2013]
GreenFeed Vietnam wins Asian Feed Miller Award 2013
GreenFeed Vietnam, a major Vietnamese feedmiller, is the winner of the Asian Feed Miller Award 2013. The award, initiated by Asian Feed Magazine and sponsored by Addcon and EW Nutrition, recognises innovation in livestock and aquafeed manufacturing operations. GreenFeed was a finalist alongside Dabaco Group from Vietnam and Anmol Feeds from India. Dabaco was the runner up, while Anmol Feeds won the Emerging Miller Award, a complementary award designed to encourage feedmillers in emerging markets to participate in the competition.
BASF launches toxin binder
BASF launched Novasil Plus, a toxin binder with a strong binding capacity for alflatoxins at VIV Asia 2013. Now directly available from BASF, Novasil Plus consists of naturally occurring high-purity calcium bentonite clay. It effectively binds aflatoxins during the digestive process, which makes them largely unavailable for absorption by the animal. Along with this, BASF also relaunched its enzyme product Natuphos and Natugrain at the event. Categorised as performance ingredients, the two products contribute to better utilisation of nutrients by animals whilst being environment friendly. Stephen Crisp, BASF's Regional Head of Asia Pacific, said the relaunching of Natuphos and Natugrain highlights BASF's focus on sustainability, one of the pillars of the company's strategy. To support sustainability in animal production in Asia Pacific, he said, BASF has increased its technical support by 25% in the region.
Adifo launches cloud solutions
Adifo has launched a cloud-based collaborative platform as an extension to its Bestmix feed formulation and recipe management system. The extension platform facilitates information exchange between all parties involved in feed formulation including nutritionists, feed advisors, external partners and customers. "With the cloud-based platform, you don't need to set up and maintain laptops for a number of users involved in the feed formulation. You also don't need to back up data and update software regularly as we will do it for you," said Hans Van der Waal, Adifo's Market Development Manager, Asia and Russia. The cloud-based platform for Bestmix is now available for feedmillers in Asia.
Impextraco launches antioxidant without ethoxyquin
Impextraco launched Feedox NE, an antioxitant that is free from ethoxyquin, a preservative that is increasingly being restricted from use in shrimp feed. Asian shrimp exporters are suffering a setback from exports to Japan as its food authority has lowered the limit of ethoxyquin residue in shrimp. Impextraco's Feedox NE will help Asian shrimp farmers and feed producers avoid this problem and gain greater access to export markets. Feedox NE is a dry, synergistic combination of antioxidants and sequestrants without ethoxyquin.
Hamlet Protein launches AviStart for poultry
Because the digestive and nutritional requirements of young chicks are vastly different than those of older broilers, Hamlet Protein has developed AviStart for poultry. It is a unique protein source that is derived from soybeans and yeast. Compared to soybeans, it contains very low levels of anti-nutritional factors that limit absorption of feed nutrients. Because of its easy digestibility, AviStart for poultry enables the chicks to get high levels of essential amino acids, giving it a very good start in life.
Rapid rise in residential clusters fuels modern trade
The rapid growth in high rise residential clusters is fuelling the growth of modern retail trade in the Philippines and this in turn has pushed up requirements for chilled fresh meat, said Dr Leo Obviar of the Philippine Swine Producers Association. The number of supermarkets with fresh chilled meat sections as well as stand alone meat shops has risen steadily over the past few years. Likewise there has been growing demand for processed meats and convenience foods. To meet this, commercial pork producers in the country have moved to modernise production and the value chain to meet the growing demand in the local market and with a view to export.
Delacon to launch new product for ruminant
Markus Dedl Managing Director of Delacon, an Austrian phytogenic feed additives producer, told Asian Agribiz that this year Delacon will launch a new phytogenic product for ruminant, Actifor, in Asia. “In Europe, this product was launched two years ago. This year Actifor will be launched in China, South Korea and Japan,” Mr Dedl said. He added that Actifor contains highly potent active ingredients from essential oils, phenolic compounds and pungent substances. Actifor can improve nutrient utilization and feed efficiency and support rumen and metabolic function.
Innovad reinforces its existence in Asia
Innovad used VIV Asia 2013 as a platform to reinforce the existence of the company in Asia. “For the first time we exposed Innovad to the Asian community,” said Ben Letor, Business Development Director of Innovad. Although Innovad is only three years old, currently it already has representative offices in Singapore and Vietnam and distributors in several countries in Asia. In addition to reinforcing the company’s existence, Innovad also launched two new products namely Lumance and Novyrate. Lumance is an intestinal health solution to lower medication cost, while Novyrate is a butyrate product that supports the whole intestinal tract of animal.
Animine introduces zinc oxide product
At VIV Asia 2013, Animine introduced its potentiated zinc oxide, HiZox. Based on a paper published in the American Society of Animal Science, President of Animine Stephane Durosoy said that HiZox significantly increased piglet growth compared to the pharmacological dosage of regular zinc oxide in the starter phase as well as improved piglet health status.
| VIV ASIA 2013
[14 March 2013]
Zoetis flashes its new identity
Zoetis, the largest independent animal health company globally came to VIV with a new identity. Formerly known as Pfizer Animal health, the company's aim at VIV is to reveal its new independence and identity to the livestock producing community in Asia. "Amidst this change, the core of our business still rests with the relationships we nurture and support within this sector, through our competent technical and veterinary specialists," Jose Francisco Ortiz, Sr Vice President, Global Poultry and New Established Brands told Asian Agribiz.
Grimaud upbeat about duck sector in Asia
Grimaud Freres Selection has seen consistent growth in duck sector in Asia, much more than a decade ago. Vincent Baumier, Director Commercial Export told Asian Agribiz that expansion of the company's clients in the region has been encouraging. "Our Star 53 which equates with profitable production remains the breed of choice in Asia," he said.
Big-Bird installs Meyn's processing equipment
Big-Bird, Pakistan's largest poultry breeder, will install the most modern and largest broiler processing line in Pakistan. This will enable the company to produce high quality, hygienically processed chicken. Dr Mustafa Kamal, Big Bird's Managing Director said Pakistan produces 1.2 billion birds annually, but only 5% is hygienically processed. "There is good growth opportunity for hygienically processed chicken in Pakistan, which is home to over 180 million people," he told Asian Agribiz. The new system has a capacity of 6000 birds/hour, and this can be doubled in the future. It is expected to be operational by the end of 2013. The line is fully automatic and will be equipped with an advanced air chilling system.
Marel Stork introduces AeroScalder
Marel Stork introduced 'AeroScalder,' its latest scalding technology that uses moisturised hot air for scalding at VIV Asia 2013. With the AeroScalder, the birds are no longer immersed in water for scalding. This promotes improved visual and bacteriological quality of the carcass during scalding, resulting in cleaner carcasses when leaving the scalder and there is virtually no cross contamination within the scalding process. The AeroScalder reduces water usage in the scalding process up to 75% with 50% less energy, compared with 12,000 birds/hour traditional immersion scalding.
Kahl's expander increasingly adopted in Asia
Feed manufacturers in Asia are turning to expander technology from Amandus Kahl Humburg of Germany as it allows them to use a wide range of raw materials to make high quality pellets. Olaf Naehrig, Amandus Kahl's Senior Area Manager, said increasing price of feed raw materials is motivating feedmillers in Asia to pay more attention to processing as a way of making high quality feeds from cheaper alternative raw materials that is abundant in the region. "The expander from Kahl serves the requirements of the Asian feedmillers very well as it can process raw materials that are abundant in Asia into better quality pellets with a lower energy cost. This is a big advantage over the traditional pelleting machine that has a limitation in performing the same task," he told Asian Agribiz. He said sales of Kahl's expander are growing in Asia as users see the cost benefits.
Hotraco introduces new poultry computer
Ventilation and automation specialist Hotraco Agri BV introduced its new poultry computer Mira-P at the show. The new computer, which has a clear and simple menu structure, can control a variety of processes including ventilation, heating, cooling, feed registration, water and bird weighing. The data gathered by the Mira-P can be fed into Hotraco's Rainbow+ management program for quick and easy analysis.
OX-CTA offers biosafety strategy
In a technical seminar at VIV Asia 2013, OX-CTA Executive Director Ana Bernad offered an innovation in biosafety strategy called intelligent GO OX biosafety strategy. This strategy includes several disinfection products such as OX Virin, OX-Agua and OX S4, and a sanitizer product, S2 OX. “GO OX biosafety strategy helps to increase shelf-life of materials and equipment, improve hygiene and animal health status, reduce spending on medical treatment and improve productivity,” said Bernad.
EW Nutrition showcases 3 key products
EW Nutrition introduced three key animal nutrition products at namely Mastersorb, Activo and Globigen. “We have just launched Mastersorb Gold which is a breakthrough to control bacterial toxins. Activo is a microencapsulated specific formulation of essential oils and is available in both powder and liquid form while Globigen, an immunoglobulin product is the flagship product of EW Nutrition for the swine and ruminant markets,” said Robert Nichol, General Manager SE Asia, Australia and New Zealand of EW Nutrition.
Alltech launches Mycosorb A+
Alltech launched Mycosorb A+, the next generation mycotoxin binder at the company’s interactive display area at the show. Mycosorb A+ is said to reduce mycotoxin absorption within the animal, thereby negating the damaging effects of mycotoxins on its health. It is expected to augment the arsenal of producers around the world facing challenges from mycotoxins.
Stienen aims for presence in Asia
Stienen, a family-run business from The Netherlands had its first outing at the show this year. Well respected in Europe, the company has its strength in climate control system and complete housing automation for pig and poultry houses said Director, Erwin Stienen. "We do have an indirect presence in Asia through associates who acquire our systems for turnkey projects. We feel that the time is ripe to initiate a direct presence in Asia," he added.
Intracare introduces new product
Intra Calferol is the new product introduced by Intracare. Marketing & Sales Manager of Intracare, Arjan van de Vondervoort explained that Intra Calferol is pH neutral and has excellent vitamin D3 stability properties. “Vitamin D3 is an essential component for bone formation and for good egg quality. Without enough vitamin D3, the body cannot form enough of the hormone calcitriol. This in turn leads to insufficient calcium absorption from the diet,” he said. Intra Calferol can be used for broilers and layers.
Unique probiotic keeps healthy GI tract
Having a diverse and healthy bacterial population in the gastrointestinal tract is key to good bird health. Toward this end, Evonik has introduced Galli-Pro, a new probiotic that has the ability to produce high amounts of digestive enzymes, specific probiotic features and survive exposure to high temperatures. These features, Evonik says, makes Galli-Pro a unique probiotic for poultry production, allowing the bird to have healthy, balanced microflora and to maintain a strong defense throughout its life.
| VIV ASIA 2013
[13 March 2013]
Curtains rise on VIV 2013
The 11th edition of VIV Asia will open in Bangkok today and will continue until Friday, March 15. Tipped as the region's best livestock agriculture event, it promises to lead the world’s most promising animal protein market a significant step ahead in terms of growth and modernisation. The show brings together more than 700 exhibitors from over 40 countries, and is spread over six halls.
Ceva draws full attendance
Leading animal health company Ceva played to a full house of more than 400 guests at it pre-VIV seminar held at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Bangkok yesterday. Welcoming guests, Francois Bost, Asia Pacific Zone Director thanked clients for their trust, loyalty and support and explained that it was Ceva’s aim to help the industry address disease challenges as well help them improve profitability and output. “That is why we have committed 10% of our annual turnover to r&d and go to great lengths to share our knowledge and expertise with the industry.' The seminar offered participants a good overview of grain price volatility and its impact on production costs. It later proceeded with three separate breakout sessions that focused on optimising on-farm efficiencies in the layer, broiler and swine sectors.
Piglets in large litters can survive
While litter size continues to go up with genetic improvement, piglet mortality also seems to go up. However, more piglets in large litters can survive said Christian Villumsen, Technical Services Manager of DanBred International. At a pre-VIV seminar organised by DanBred on Breeding Pig Management in Bangkok yesterday, Mr Villumsen said that among the factors that can help ensure piglet survival include ensuring the sow is in condition during farrowing, keeping a close watch during the farrowing. He also underscored the importance of making sure piglets, especially the smaller ones receive colostrum. He said using the two-step nurse sow method can help decrease piglet mortality rate, while at the same time increasing weaning weight.
[Watch this space for focused updates over the next few days]
| Broiler price dips again in India
[13 March 2013] The broiler price in India has dipped again after recovering to a profitable level in the first two months of 2013. It dropped to USD 0.83/kg in the middle of March after rising to USD 1.47/kg from January to February, according to Dr Gopal Reddy, General Manager - Sales & Marketing of Life Line Feeds, a major broiler integrator in India's southern state of Karnataka. "The price drop is a result of falling meat consumption during Lent when Christian refrain from eating meat. Secondly, it's the start of school vacation, and consumption of poultry in schools generally declines," he told Asian-Agribiz. Dr Reddy said the sudden drop in broiler price signifies that an oversupply of birds still prevails in India.
| BEC Feed Solutions grows presence in Indonesia
[13 March 2013] Supplier of premixes, feed additives and ingredients BEC Feed Solutions plans to open its new office in Jakarta early April 2013, COO Ton Hovers told Asian Agribiz. “Indonesia’s compound feed production can reach 20 million by 2020 after a record 12 million tonnes produced in 2012. BEC would like to be part of the growth and is looking forward to cooperating with local producers to improve their production,” he said. The Brisbane-based company’s strategy in Indonesia is to enter the market small, by catering to the beef, dairy and poultry sectors, and grow it step by step by cooperating with local companies and bringing solutions for existing problems. BEC has two production facilities in Brisbane and Mr Hovers said it has no immediate plans to open a plant in Asia.
| Australian meat bodies call for FTA with Korea
[13 March 2013] The Australian meat industry wants to urgently restart free trade agreement (FTA) talks with South Korea. It fears any stalling in negotiations could cost the beef industry as much as USD 1.4 billion in exports. The representatives of cattle farmers in Queensland have warned that unless an FTA is agreed urgently, the country could lose out to competitors in the US, which already has an FTA with South Korea. National Farmers Federation President Jock Laurie said Australia’s USD 662 million annual beef trade with Korea is currently subject to a 40% tariff while US beef is only subject to a 34.6% tariff which will gradually recede by 2026.
| BPI beefs up agri lending
[13 March 2013] The Bank of Philippine Island (BPI) has ventured into an aggressive agribusiness lending to help reduce livestock and poultry meat imports, and pave the way for Philippine exports in time for the Asean Economic Community post 2015. The BPI Agribusiness Solutions financing scheme hopes to help replace part of the country’s imports of 153,000 tonnes of pork and 179,000 tonnes of chicken imports as of 2011, reported the Manila Buletin. “We’re excited about this initiative. One, it’s for our food security. We do have a shortage of pig and poultry supply. We look forward to making a difference in this sector,” said CEO Alfonso L Salcedo.
| Poultry eats into China's pork market share
[12 March 2013] China's poultry industry is beginning to develop its own growth path, said Rabobank analyst Chenjun Pan. But in the midst of this growth, producers must address a number of barriers that constrain the industry at present, namely concerns around food safety and poor farm management. Poultry production in China is expected to continue to grow faster than pork thanks to the efficiencies it offers to both producers and consumers, said Ms Pan. The sector produces some 17 million tonnes of annual output which accounts for 18% of global production. "Low current per capita consumption rates and a growing acceptance for eating poultry meat should enable the industry to take a meaningful share of meat consumption away from pork," she added.
| CPF invests in Laos and Cambodia
[12 March 2013] Sukol Cheewakoset, President of CP Laos and CP Cambodia, said the company is investing USD 6.7 million in a new silo and drying plant for maize in Pailin, Cambodia and a new feed meal plant in Champasak, Laos, with a capacity of 5000 tonnes/month. He said the drying plant and silo are to reduce logistics costs and to ensure effective distribution in western Cambodia. It will continue investing in the aquatic sector as well. The company also recently launched its ‘Five Star’ grilled chicken in Laos.
| India and US to battle poultry trade at WTO
[12 March 2013] India and the US are due soon to square off at the World Trade Organisation over a poultry import ban imposed by New Delhi as the panel for deliberating on the case has been finalised. This panel will determine if India can continue to stop import of cheap chicken legs from the US citing the risk of avian influenza. The US sees a market worth USD 300 million in India, and says that India's ban is inconsistent with the relevant science, international guidelines and the standards India has set for its own domestic industry. The Indian poultry industry will be hit badly if the US starts exporting its cheap chicken legs as it would drive down prices drastically.
| EU increases imports of Vietnamese tra
[12 March 2013] Vietnam is seeing it exports of pangasius to the EU gradually increasing with another five tra producers and processors receiving the Aquaculture Stewardship Council’s certification. This brings to 13, the total number of certified Vietnamese firms. The Vietnamese Association for Seafood Exporters and Producers General Secretary Truong Dinh Hoe said the EU has been one of its main importers largely because of the product’s relatively low export price compared to seafood produced in other countries.
| Givaudan opens centre in Mumbai
[12 March 2013] Flavour company Givaudan has opened a new innovation centre in Mumbai, India to specially look into flavour profiles favoured by Indians such as mango, dairy and Indian spices. The USD 3.9 million Mumbai Flavour Innovation Centre was opened to meet rising customers demand for the company’s technical services across the subcontinent. The company also has plans for a flavours manufacturing site in Pune. This year Givaudan plans to open a spray drying facility in Indonesia and a new savoury facility in China.
| Pig producers must optimise feed formulation and feed use
[11 March 2013] The biggest challenge faced by pig producers in Asia today is the rising feed prices. Corn and soy prices have always been volatile and today it is even more so with prices continuing to rise in recent years. What Asian pig producers can do to meet this challenge and remain productive and profitable will be among the topics discussed at Asian Agribiz's 2013 Pig Feed Quality Conference that will run on April 22-23, in Bangkok, Thailand. "Producers need to consider how to optimise feed use and to evaluate the true contribution of each diet on the total cost of production,” said conference program director Dr Ian Partridge, adding that “sourcing and management of raw materials for optimal profitability are key” to addressing rising feed costs “rather than blindly following a 'least cost is best' policy.” More details here.
| New AI outbreak in India
[11 March 2013] India has been hit once again by the bird flu. Hundreds of chicken were culled and eggs destroyed in Bihar’s Purnea district following an outbreak of avian flu. Purnea district magistrate Manish Verma said the outbreak was detected after 300 birds of a government poultry farm died suddenly a few days ago. Control measures are in place and all entry points along the district border have been sealed. Purnea is a major supplier of chicken across Bihar and neighbouring West Bengal.
| Avinash expands operations
[11 March 2013] Avinash Group, Nepal's major poultry and feed producer, is expanding its operations to boost its revenue by sevenfold to USD 17 million/year over the next three years. "Peace has returned to Nepal, and the economy is doing well. There is great opportunity for us to boost the supply of eggs and poultry meat to meet the growing demand," said Guna Chandra Bista, Executive Chairman of Avinash Group. To realise this, Avinash will build a modern commercial layer farm, upgrade it PS farm and build a new feedmill. All of these projects are set to begin in 2013.
| Fake glutaraldehyde threatens livestock sector
[11 March 2013] Thailand’s livestock industry and food chain could face the risk of using counterfeit glutaraldehyde. According to Dow Microbial Control (DMC), a provider of biocide and antimicrobial technologies, half of the imported glutaraldehyde in the country is not genuine. Managing Director Mark Henning said that the company has witnessed the growth of the use of counterfeit glutaraldehude used mainly to disinfect poultry and swine facilities for good biosecurity. He said the cheap and counterfeit glutaraldehyde products have emerged across Asia and are not effective in removing pathogens. Therefore, the food entering the food chain may not be pathogen-free.
| China a likely market for Australia’s kangaroo meat
[11 March 2013] Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry said it was working to open market access for kangaroo meat to China. While its biggest market Russia is estimated to be worth about USD 180 million/year, Managing Director of Macro Meats Ray Borda said the Chinese market could be even bigger. “I estimate it will be worth double what Russia is because Russia wants the manufacturing meat to make small goods, whereas China wants the top end of the market,” he told ABC News.
| Sierad moves into expansion mode
[08 March 2013] Sierad Produce hopes to build two 200,000-capacity breeding farms in Lebak, Banten, to increase its DOC population. The company also plans to boost the sales of animal feed. Last year the company projected that its animal feed production would reach 500,000 tonnes. “Our chicken breeding and animal feed business made up 70% of our total consolidated revenue,” said Vice President Director Eko Sandjojo. Sierad also has plans to grow its food business. Belfoods Indonesia will see an increase in production capacity to 2000 tonnes/month from the current 600 tonnes/month. Sierad projects a revenue growth of 22% this year.
| Corn to lose acreage to soy
[08 March 2013] Corn is expected to lose some acreage this year to soy as the US is expecting a healthy corn harvest. Corn planting is expected to contact by 0.7 million acres according to Rabobank's latest report on the agri-commodities market. The report forecast that CBOT (Chicago Board of Trade) prices should rally at USD 7.50/bu in Q2 2013 or USD 0.45/bu higher that the May futures price, on higher export and feed demand. Prices are expected to recede to USD 6.70/bu in Q4 2013.
| Summit raises concern over unhygienic practices
[08 March 2013] The Meat and Poultry Summit held by the Confederation of Indian Industries recently picked out Delhi’s main abattoir in Ghazipur as being unhygienic and of poor quality. “There are many unhygienic practices, very little supervision and very little care for quality,” said Delhi-based food consultant Ashok C Khosla at the conference while Sanjay R Bhoosreddy, a senior official at the animal husbandry department, highlighted that there was no standard operating procedure for running abattoirs in India. According to Mr Khosla meat traders across India are guilty of malpractices such as injecting water to increase the weight of chicken and passing off layer chicken meat as that of broiler chicken.
| China banks on Brazilian poultry
[08 March 2013] In 2011 China imported 196,000 tonnes of poultry meat from Brazil compared to 24,000 tonnes in 2009. According to Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, this made up 74% of China’s poultry imports in 2011. The ministry believes poultry imports from China will continue to increase as trade with China complemented domestic demand because the Chinese preferred parts of the bird that are not consumed in Brazil. There are currently 29 Brazilian businesses with permission to export poultry meat to China. The government had requested that export permission be extended to more businesses.
| FamilyMart continues to expand
[08 March 2013] Siam FamilyMart Co Ltd, the operator of FamilyMart convenience stores, plans to boost the number of stores to 3000 by 2017. According to Nath Vongpanich, Chief Executive, total investment is likely to reach USD 336 million. It will be spent on opening 2200 new branches, renovating the existing stores and upgrading the systems. As of last year, there were 792 FamilyMart stores across Thailand. The company plans to open another 208 outlets this year. Of the total, around 12% will be owned by franchisees.
| Betagro grows outlets in the city
[07 March 2013] Thai integrator, Betagro Group, plans to boost the number of its wholesale ‘Betagro Shops’ to 100 within the next two months, mostly within cities. According to Vasit Taepaisitphongse, Chief Operating Officer, the company’s wholesale shop has been doing well. Key customers are restaurant operators, food service, hotels, bakery shops and such. Most of products are chilled and frozen. Mr Vasit said currently the shops are situated outside of Bangkok. “We have butcher operations and cold rooms that can offer meat cutting services to meet the specific needs of each customer. We also provide delivery service,” Mr Vasit told Asian Agribiz. He added that food producers and food service operators have been paying more attention to quality.
| Philippines allots USD 22.8 million for corn industry support
[07 March 2013] The Philippine government has earmarked USD 22.8 million this year to support the local corn industry, a report by BusinessWorld said. Agriculture Assistant Secretary Edilberto de Luna, who heads the National Corn Program, said of the total, about USD 9.3 million will be used to mechanise corn farms, and some USD 12.8 is set to provide postharvest facilities to increase corn production. For the mechanisation program, the government will provide a tractor to a corn farmer cooperative covering a total clustered area of not less than 300ha, as well as corn planters to lessen the time it takes for farmers to plant corn. Meanwhile, among the postharvest facilities that will be given to small-scale corn farmers are grain dryers, cob dryers, shredders and corn silos. Mr De Luna said the DA targets to reduce post-harvest losses to 10% this year from 12.5% in 2012.
| CP invests USD 100 million in India
[07 March 2013] Charoen Pokphand India, subsidiary of Thailand's Charoen Pokphand Foods Plc, has set aside USD 100 million for expansion of its shrimp and poultry business in India in 2013. Kwanchai Chiaprem, Senior Vice President of Charoen Pokphand Group, said CP India will allocate USD 70 million for building its third cold storage for shrimp and the remainder for expanding the poultry business. "The investments will enable CP India to increase shrimp production by 20% to 300,000 tonnes/year. Additionally, broiler production of the company will be increased by 38% to 2.5 million DOC/week," he said.
| McDonald's expands outside Metro Manila in 2013
[07 March 2013] Golden Arches Development Corp, the Philippine franchiser of McDonald's, plans to open 40-50 new branches this year, a report by BusinessWorld said. Most of these stores will be located outside of Metro Manila, said Golden Arches PR and Communications Manager Meryl Adiel Timbol, who added the company, “ is seeing more opportunities outside Metro Manila as we are confronted with more demand in the provinces.” About 60% of the new stores will be company-owned and the remainder franchised, said Golden Arches President and CEO Kenneth Yang.
| Vista to launch frozen omelette in India
[07 March 2013] Vista Processed Foods, a member of the OSI Group in India, is due to launch frozen omelettes to quick service restaurants and retailers in India later this year. Bhupinder Singh, CEO of Vista Processed Foods said the company will soon be launching frozen omelette for McDonalds and Subway in India as well as Walmart India under its own labels. “We are working on the frozen omelette to suit the Indian taste buds and expect to launch it in 6-8 months,” he said. Vista Processed Foods has set up a line to produce frozen French toast that will hit the market in the next couple of months under a private label.
| Meeting the challenge of Asian pork production
[06 March 2013] Success in pig production, just like any other commercial venture, depends on careful management of the factors that can be controlled in order to minimise the impact of the challenges that cannot be controlled. Among these challenges include rising feed prices and ensuring that young pigs get the best possible start in life so that they can go on to become good performing pigs. The 2013 Pig Feed Quality Conference, to be held on April 22-23, 2013 at the Landmark Hotel in Bangkok Thailand, aims to help the Asian pig industry by tackling these two aspects of pig production, bringing together speakers led by Dr Bruce Mullan and Dr Megan Edwards to share with Asian pig producers how these challenges can best be met. For more details click here.
| Betagro anticipates rise in exports
[06 March 2013] Betagro Group, a major Thai livestock producer and integrator saw its exports of cooked poultry and pork products rise amid challenges. According to Vasit Taepaisitphongse, Betagro Group’s Chief Operating Officer, the group exported a total of 40,000 tonnes of cooked poultry products in 2012, up 15% from the year earlier. The company exported 8000 tonnes of cooked pork products in 2012, up 30% from the previous year. Mr Vasit said the group’s chicken processing capacity has almost hit maximum. The company has implemented ‘Total Productivity Management’ to improve and increase its production capacity. “That's why we can still boost export volumes every year,” he told Asian Agribiz. Key trading partners include Japan (50%), the EU and UK (40%) and Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong (10%). “We expect the total export of pork and poultry products this year to grow 10%,” said Mr Vasit.
| Philippines explores new markets
[06 March 2013] The Philippines is exploring new overseas markets for livestock and poultry products to make the industry competitive with other Southeast Asian nations when regional free trade commences in 2015. Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) director Rubina Cresencio said negotiations are ongoing for the export of livestock and poultry products to Papua New Guinea, China, South Korea, Hong Kong and Indonesia, as well as Japan, which is already importing yakitori nuggets from the Philippines. China and Indonesia are interested in importing beef, while Papua New Guinea wants to buy processed meat and pork cuts.
| Dry weather spells smaller harvests from Argentina
[06 March 2013] Despite recent rainfall Argentina’s crops are still expected to fall short of expectations, Rabobank analyst Luke Chandler said in a recent report. Argentina’s smaller harvest “places increased pressure on already tight global supply”, the report said. Analysts cut their corn crop forecast for the world’s second biggest corn exporter to 20 million tonnes, down 11% from a previous estimate of 22.5 million tonnes. According to the USDA Argentina harvested 22.8 million tonnes last year. Rabobank also lowered their outlook for Argentina’s soybean crop, estimating the harvest at 48 million tonnes, down 7.7% from a previous forecast. Argentina harvested 50.5 million tonnes in 2010.
| China to create single body to monitor food safety
[06 March 2013] China will create a single agency to deal with food and drug regulations similar to the US Food and Drug Administration. This will replace the current system which is tangled in red tape, with up to 13 government agencies controlling food and drug regulations and supervision. Academics and food safety watchdogs have long complained that the numerous agencies create blind spots and overlaps of power that contribute to the chaos. At a meeting of the food safety commission last month, premier-in-waiting Li Keqiang hinted that red tape would be cut and powers integrated, the South China Morning Post reported.
| CPF invests in Laos and Cambodia
[05 March 2013] Thailand's Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF) is preparing to invest more in Laos and Cambodia to set up feedmills and livestock farms. The aim is to strengthen CPF's integrated agricultural-industrial business as the Asean Economic Community (AEC) approaches. The company is set to invest USD 8.4 million through CP Laos and CP Cambodia to set up a new silo for maize in Cambodia and a new feed-meal plant in Laos. The company has also invested further in its three core businesses of feed production, farming and food processing in the two countries. Sakol Cheewakoset, President of CP Laos and CP Cambodia, said the opening up of the regional market under the AEC would create great business opportunities for both investment and export to neighbouring countries as well as developed nations.
| US consultant suggesting commodity prices could drop by 33%
[05 March 2013] Paul Aho, the US poultry industry consultant, is suggesting that corn and soybean meal prices could drop by as much as 33% over the next two to three years. Writing in the February issue of Aviagen's Broiler Economics he says: “The increase in commodity prices stimulated both a rapidly increasing supply of inputs and diminished demand from what would have been the case.” He suggests corn will drop to a midpoint between the USD 50/tonne of pre-2001 and the highs of USD 150/tonne of the last three years. Similarly he suggests soybean meal will drop from around USD 445/tonne this year to USD 325 by 2014-15.
| China turns lucrative for Aussie red meat
[05 March 2013] Australia's beef and sheep meat exporters have found a new lucrative market in China. Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) said February beef export statistics are expected to break 10,000 tonnes, which would be a record monthly figure and the country is expected to take 15% more lamb than last February. MLA estimates that China will easily exceed the 2013 forecast of 35,000 tonnes and could even reach 50,000 tonnes this year, making it the fourth-biggest market for Australian beef. Imports are predominantly secondary cuts mainly brisket, manufacturing beef, shins and shanks rather than top-end chilled product.
| Thai restaurants tackle Asean
[05 March 2013] More Thai restaurants are expanding to neighbouring countries to tap rising opportunities of the single regional market. Popular Thai restaurants such as S&P, Black Canyon and Oishi Group are planning on opening branches in neighbouring countries. “S&P restaurants will open in all Asean countries over the next five years,” said Vitoon Sila-On, Senior Vice-President of S&P Syndicate Plc. The Oishi Group also believes it’s a good opportunity to branch out to Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam. Black Canyon (Thailand), which already has 44 outlets in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Laos and Myanmar plans to venture into Vietnam.
| Puregold to open 26 stores this year
[05 March 2013] Philippine retailer Puregold Price Club Inc (PPI) will spend USD 73.5 million to open new stores this year, the company said in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange. Its capital expenditure will be partially funded by internally generated cash and proceeds from PPI's IPO last year. The company also targets to increase sales by 30% this year. Last year, the company posted consolidated sale of USD 1.41 billion. PPI has been aggressively expanding. Last year it acquired the Parco supermarket chain as well as the S&R Membership Shopping chain. Earlier this year, it bought the company which operates Eunilaine Foodmart and Grocer E Supermart. The company said it “aims to pursue acquisitions as a template to further geographic expansion.”
| Gira Asia Meat Club
[04 March 2013]
High feed costs impact beef production
The global beef market will maintain cautious optimism this year with high feed costs, pushing up production costs, thus limit investments in intensive herds. Beef prices are up in most regions, reinforcing the meat’s position as the most expensive mainstream protein, said Richard Brown of Gira during the launch of the Gira Asia Meat Club in Singapore last Friday. He added that growing Asian milk demand continues to ‘pull’ dairy herd development. In the meantime, with the US gaining access into Japan for beef under 30 months, exports from Australia will come under increasing pressure and this could push Australia to open new markets.
Less disease disruptions for pigmeat
The pigmeat market in Asia is likely to experience a more stable year with less disease disruption. Both China and Vietnam have reported limited PRRS outbreaks but both are still addressing the repercussions of previous outbreaks. Meanwhile, high feed costs continue to impact commercial production, while demand growth will continue to attract imports from outside the region, said Rupert Claxton of Gira.
China pulls up global poultry consumption
Globally, poultry producers will see modest growth of most key indicators; but will continue to be challenged by feed costs, albeit at a lower rate than previous years. China is expected to star as the most significant contributor to this growth, despite the high feed prices. Richard Brown commented that the industry is facing huge challenges adjusting to the new feed cost plateau from 2007 and has moved into 2013 on a weaker footing although China is showing strong consumption growth.
| Bird flu deaths rise to eight in Cambodia
[04 March 2013] The death toll from bird flu in Cambodia has increased to eight since late January, making it the worst outbreak of bird flu in the country. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed the eighth human bird flu death since January. Of the nine cases recorded in just over a month in Cambodia, only one person has survived. All previously confirmed cases have occurred in areas within about 50 km of each other in the southern provinces of Kampot, Kompong Speu and Takeo. Experts said the spread of bird flu virus in Cambodia is partly due to a lack of early reporting on sick birds. Hong Kong has temporarily banned the import of Cambodian eggs, while China has started to measure the body temperature of people traveling to China from Cambodia in order to prevent the disease spread.
| Heavier fines for Vietnamese violators
[04 March 2013] Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture is considering increasing the fine for producers and traders of substandard poultry and meat by tenfold to USD 9600 to deter trade in poor quality animal products. The ministry is drafting a decree that if approved, will see the violators facing a hefty fine if they are found to produce or trade poor quality poultry and meat. Under the decree, any action that is harmful, like injecting water into the bird to raise its weight is considered as an offence.
| CP Phils warns of negative message to investors
[01 March 2013] Charoen Pokphand Foods Philippines Corp (CP), a wholly-owned unit of Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Co Ltd of Thailand, said that revoking or limiting the fiscal incentives granted to it by the Philippine Board of Investments will send a negative message to foreign investors interested to invest in the country. In a report by ManilaStandardToday, CP said they would respect whatever decision the Philippine government should it reduce the incentives it had earlier awarded, but pointed out that such a move “will not improve foreign investors’ confidence in the country and its leaders.” The company said the incentives it received were given based on the merits of their projects.
| Gira Asia Meat Club
[01 March 2013]
Big push towards meat exports into Asia
Meat markets in Asia are offering a lift to the global meat trade with rising consumption, which has encouraged higher import volumes particularly of beef and pork. This is despite a rise in price as a result of supply constraints due to the higher feed prices. “There is a big push towards exports into Asia because of the growing economies and resulting higher demand for animal protein,” Richard Brown of Gira Consulting told the audience gathered at the launch of the Gira Asia Meat Club in Singapore yesterday.
Western diets spur meat consumption
The Higher GDP in the Asian region is spurring meat consumption which is currently at a much lower level compared to the US and Europe. Poultry production and consumption is the fastest growing sector in Asia although pigmeat appears to be the dominant meat protein in the region, said Rupert Claxton in offering an overview of the Asian market. Much of the growth in meat consumption has been encouraged by the westernisation of diets as well as higher incomes.
India maintains edge in competitive production costs
The profitability of meat producers is directly linked to the cost of feed inputs. As a result, the bottom-line of most producers have been drastically impacted by the rise in corn and soy prices, which make up about 60% of animal feed input. Offering on overview of the feed sector in Asia, Rex Holyoake, CEO of Asian Agribiz said in Asia currently, India is the only country that is self sufficient in corn and soy, giving it an edge in competitive production costs.
| Better outlook for poultry in 2013
[01 March 2013] The global poultry industry continues to operate in a challenging market place, but conditions for 2013 are improving. According to Rabobank, the poultry industry's pricing power should improve, with continuing high prices for competitor meats such as pork and beef. "Despite the positive picture, this outlook is very fragile and dependent upon risks related to feed costs and supply discipline", said Rabobank analyst Nan-Dirk Mulder. "As grain and soybean stocks remain low, supply discipline will be a key tool for the industry to maintain margins."
| Wakeup call for Asian meat market
[01 March 2013] In light of the ongoing horsemeat scandal in the UK an agribusiness consultant said that poor quality meat and meat adulteration could be happening in Asia too. “Traceability of food in many Asian countries is still a problem due to a large number of small holdings, fragmented supply chain and ineffective regulations. Meat adulteration could go unnoticed by the public’s eye “particularly in countries where there are no stringent regulations” and proper enforcement, Raghavan Sampathkumar told Asian Agribiz. The horse meat scandal in the UK is a wakeup call for the meat industry in the region and “issues such as food handling, safety and proper labelling need to be ironed out as Asean stands in the midst of negotiating free trade agreements prior to the opening of a single market in 2015. It should be the responsibility of every country that is party to the free trade negotiations to ensure food quality and safety within their borders,” he added.
| Gira Asia Meat Club launch
[28 February 2013] The Gira Asia Meat Club (GAMC) was launched in Singapore this morning. Led by Gira, the Geneva-based global meat market analysts and Asian-Agribiz, the GAMC is made up of professionals within the livestock protein production and trading sector. Members benefit from short term forecasts for meat prices, production, trade and consumption – for all the main meats, in all the main regions of the world – but with specific in-depth analysis of trade within Asian countries, and between Asian countries and with international markets. Members will meet annually to share information, questions and experiences directly with Gira’s experienced researchers.
| Vista to boost egg consumption in India
[28 February 2013] US-based OSI Group in India hopes to launch branded, frozen french toast, omelettes and boiled eggs at retail stores and fast-food restaurants soon, hoping to add to its Indian turnover of USD 46 million. Bhupinder Singh, Chief Executive of OSI's Vista Processed Foods, said the company currently sells frozen food to Subway and Papa John, and is the sole supplier of such products to McDonald's in India and the Middle East. The company supplies 100,000 eggs from its farms in Pune and Hyderabad, and is aiming for a 20% growth this year. The launch of frozen omelettes, French toasts and boiled eggs is expected to boost egg consumption in India, which produces 61 million eggs a year or 3.6% of global production.
| Puregold income up 76%
[28 February 2013] Puregold Price Club Inc (PPI) reported a net income of USD 66.65 million in 2012, up almost 76% from USD 37.89 million the previous year. In a disclosure, the company said that growth was due to double-digit sales growth of its branches as well as newly acquired stores. The company’s consolidated net sales grew by 47.4% to USD 1.41 billion. PPI has been aggressively expanding, opening new stores as well as acquiring other supermarket brands. Last year, it acquired S&R warehouse club chain and the Parco supermarket chain. In January this year, PPI acquired Company E Corp which operates Eunilane Foodmarts and Grocer E Supermarts.
| Boost for India's dairy sector
[28 February 2013] The dairy sector in India's Uttar Pradesh state is set to get a boost following the inclusion of the state in the National Dairy Plan (NDP) of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB). The NDP is a World Bank sponsored project that covers eight states in the first phase. The other states, besides Uttar Pradesh, are Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Maharashtra. Under this plan, the Central government will introduce scientific measures in all the states to increase milk production. The scheme includes activities such as progeny testing, pedigree selection, strengthening of semen stations, balanced ration programme and fodder development proposals. Milk cooperatives in these states will be provided support in providing rural milk producers with greater access to the organised milk processing sector. The steering committee has approved USD 24 million for this plan for the financial year 2012-13.
| Feed prices expected to come down
[27 February 2013] Prices of feed ingredient like corn and soybean meal are likely to normalise in the second half of this year if there are no unexpected natural disasters. Somchai Kungsamutr, President and CEO of Feed Ingredients Trading Business Group, told Asian Agribiz that he expects the prices of feed inputs to drop in the next harvest season but they will not revert to the low level of the past. Feed Ingredients Trading Business Group is a company under the CP Group. Mr Somchai said the rising feed ingredient prices have made farmers grow more crops and increase their production to tap the profitable situation.
| CPF’s 2012 profit up 17%
[27 February 2013] Charoen Pokphand Foods Plc (CPF) reported a 17% rise in its 2012 net profit to USD 602 million. Sales for the entire 2012 jumped 73% from the previous year to USD 12 billion. However, net profit for the fourth quarter of 2012 dropped to USD 8 million. According to Adirek Sripratak, President and CEO, the company faced several challenges last year including the global economic slowdown high price volatility caused by the severe oversupply situation locally. The hike in raw material prices for feed also worsened the situation. Additionally, he continued, the Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS) in shrimp emerged late last year and disrupted production. However, the company hopes to achieve total sales of USD 23.45 billion in the next five years.
| QL counts on aqua segment for future growth
[27 February 2013] Malaysia’s QL Resources Bhd is eyeing opportunities to acquire and develop local and regional surimi-based facilities to scale up its marine division. The group’s recent expansion at the Surabaya marine products plants would double its annual capacity in Indonesia to 10,000 tonnes. The company also invested in a prawn farm in Kudat, Sabah, which will kick off in March 2014, while a new 15,000-tonne capacity surimi manufacturing plant will be ready by the middle of this year. In Johor QL targets its 2000-tonne capacity frozen fish cold room to be operational by the first quarter of financial year 2014. QL’s main revenue contributor, however, the integrated livestock farming division, had been impacted by falling egg prices and the high prices of corn and soybean. Nevertheless QL aims to double its egg production in Indonesia to 900,000 by March 2013 and increase the number of its DOC to 2.5 million/month from 1.3 million/month.
| Likely boost for Myanmar's dairy industry
[27 February 2013] Myanmar's dairy sector is set to receive a boost with potential investment from Thailand, Korea, Netherlands and New Zealand. "Thailand, Korea, Holland and New Zealand are the main contenders,” Dr Aung Gyi, the Deputy Director General of the Ministry Livestock and Fisheries said. Presently, Myanmar has 14 million cows and steers, and some three million buffaloes. “Among the 14 million cattle, about 500,000 are dairy cows,” said Dr Aung Gyi. Most of Myanmar’s dairy farms are located in Mandalay and Sagaing Regions. Dr Aung Gyi said potential investors from New Zealand were in Myanmar last week to discuss support and technology to help kick-start the dairy sector.
| Drop in pork prices
[26 February 2013] Prior to the Lunar New Year pork retailed at USD 2.32/kg in Malaysia. The lull after the festivities will see prices hovering at USD 2.06-2.10/kg for about a month when demand for the meat drops. The Federation of Livestock Farmers Association of Malaysia (FLFAM) feels that if imports into the country were reduced during this period prices may stabilise sooner. “We hope the [Department of Veterinary Service] will consider reducing pork import volumes. This may help the industry and prices to remain stable,” FLFAM’s Vice President Tan Kuang Liang told Asian Agribiz. “Some 600-700 tonnes of pork/month are shipped into the country,” he said.
| Yum tightens supply chain monitoring
[26 February 2013] Yum Brands in China is fighting hard to restore its battered image following the food safety scandal that erupted last December. The company said that it would strengthen oversight of its suppliers and expand drug testing, and added that more than 1,000 small producers used by the company’s 25 poultry suppliers had been eliminated from its network. The company is working towards a vertically integrated model where chicken is sourced from its own farms in China.
| Genus expands in China
[26 February 2013] Genus, the animal genetics group is set to improve China's pork farming techniques through a series of joint ventures. The country consumes almost half the world’s pork, and demand is growing due to urbanisation and low-cost meat through better farming techniques. “These joint ventures allow us to grow our business in China,” Karim Bitar, Chief Executive told the Financial Times. “We are on track to do two or three [joint ventures] per annum for the next three years. We are focused on the quality and strategic fit of the joint venture partners.” The company’s latest joint venture – a partnership with Shennong Agricultural Group – involves a £2.7m investment for a 65% stake in a 1,000-pig strong breeding farm in Yunnan Province.
| Taiwan can say no to US pork
[26 February 2013] Former Taiwanese Vice President Vincent Siew recently reminded local pork industry players that the country has the right to turn down US requests to open up its pork market. “As talks unfold under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (Tifa) both sides will make demands... That is very normal and we can say no,” he said. He emphasised that the agreement is not an instant cure, but a necessary mechanism for advancing the bilateral trade relationship. On March 11, Taiwan and the US are set to restart long-suspended talks under the agreement, a negotiations framework that could lead to a free-trade agreement. The US is planning to promote the free trade of US pork containing ractopamine during the talks while representatives from Taiwan’s agriculture industry are adamant Taiwan maintain its ban against pork with ractopamine residue.
| Thailand’s farm price index contracts
[26 February 2013] Thailand’s farm price index last year shrank by 10% from 2011 due to falling prices particularly of crops and livestock products. According to Apichart Jongsakul, Secretary-General of the Office of Agricultural Economics, prices of livestock products such as chicken meat, pork and eggs have been weak and this pulled down the price indices. He said the economic slowdown in the West and weaker demand in China were led to lower prices of rubber and pineapple last year. However, he believes the indices will improve this year.
| Kepco to open more sales outlets in Kerala
[25 February 2013] Rising poultry prices in India's Kerala state has led the Kerala State Poultry Development Corporation (Kepco) to consider opening sales outlets in the city, to check on unwarranted increases. Kepco has invited poultry farmers to raise chicken for its proposed outlets. The corporation has been selling dressed chicken for USD 2.48/kg through its outlets in Thiruvananthapuram, though the price is USD 3.13/kg in the open market."Chicks and feed would be supplied to farmers at a subsidized rate. This will ensure that they don't incur any loss," said Kepco Managing Director Ani S Das. He added that farmers can get chicks at INR 33 (USD 0.60) while in the open market it is INR 40 (USD 0.74).
| CP All’s profit skyrockets
[25 February 2013] CP All Plc, the operator of the 7-Eleven store chain in Thailand, recorded a 75% jump of its fourth quarter net profit in 2012 for USD 92.5 million. For the entire 2012, net profit rose by 38% year-on-year to USD 369 million with same store sales expanding 13%. For the fourth quarter, same store sales rose by 23% as a result of successful promotions. Last year the company opened 546 new stores, bringing the total to 6822 stores. This is the largest convenience store chain in Thailand.
| Government urged to tap poultry export market
[25 February 2013] The Philippine government has been urged to tap the export market for Philippine poultry products and reduce the country's dependence on chicken imports. This was the stand taken by the poultry industry cluster in Region 10 during a series of workshops of the National Industry Cluster Capacity Enhancement Project, a joint project of Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Department of Trade and Industry. The cluster said a strong advocacy should be mounted against the importation policy that freely allows chicken imports into the country. The poultry industry cluster claimed the lack of government initiative to tap export opportunities for locally-produced chicken products despite the competitive edge the Philippines has in being declared a bird flu- free country.
| Drought impacts US soybean quality
[25 February 2013] The overall oil levels in last year’s US soybean crop increased over the previous year while average protein fell, a recent soy-checkoff-funded study revealed. The annual US Soybean Quality Survey found the oil level in the overall US soybean crop rose by 0.3 point to 18.5% last year while protein dropped a half-point to 34.3%. Despite this Dr Seth Naeve, who conducted the study, said the results are good considering the harsh weather for much of the year. Beginning with the 2013 crop, the checkoff will be implementing a new program to monitor weather conditions in soybean test plots and correlate that information with quality outcomes and variety performance. This work will complement the Soybean Quality Survey, said Dr Naeve who recently joined the US Soybean Export Council in presenting the results to buyers in Asia.
| China to test US pork for ractopamine
[22 February 2013] US pork exports to China could hit a roadblock if China enlists a third party to verify that the shipments are free of ractopamine, a feed additive used to promote lean muscle growth. Reports revealed that China intends to begin testing on March 1, said a US Meat Export Federation spokesman. This follows Russia's ban on imports of US meat worth USD 550 million a year for the same reason. US pork exports to the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, was valued at USD 886 million last year.
| Thai food exports shrink for first time in 4 years
[22 February 2013] Thailand’s food and agricultural exports in 2012 shrank by 2% compared to the year before. It was the first drop in four years for the sector. The Thai Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Thai Industries and the National Food Institute (NFI) made the announcement explaining that the slowdown of economies in Europe and the US had affected Thai producers and exporters of rice, shrimp, vegetable and processed fruit. NFI President Petch Chinabutr said cassava, rice and shrimp producers, among others will have to face tough competition against Vietnamese producers. He added that rice, shrimp, processed tuna and pineapple producers may lose their edge when they get less market shares. NFI expects a 6% growth in food exports this year.
| Growing number of French exhibitors at VIV Asia
[22 February 2013] Over 40 exhibitors from France will participate in VIV Asia 2013 to promote French technology and know-how in livestock production. They will promote feed and animal health products, equipment and machinery for farming, meat processing and packaging. They will particularly showcase milling technology, hatching equipment and vaccination tools, along with feed supplements for young animals. In the previous edition of VIV Asia in 2011, French exhibitors accounted for about 8% of the total of 700 exhibitors, making France the fourth largest nation present at the show.
| Hong Kong bans German poultry imports
[22 February 2013] Hong Kong has banned the import of all poultry and poultry products including poultry eggs from two states in Germany, Brandenburg and Berlin, because of an outbreak of low pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in the north eastern part of Germany. A similar ban was put in place on the state of Schleswig-Holstein since December 22 last year. A spokesperson from the Centre for Food Safety said about 10,000 tonnes of frozen and chilled poultry meat and about 2.8 million poultry eggs were imported into Hong Kong from Germany last year.
| Burger King’s quarterly profit improves
[22 February 2013] Low-price and premium menus and cost-cutting strategies have helped improve Burger King Worldwide Inc’s quarterly profit. Burger King Worldwide attributed the lift to lower operating costs as a result of new practical menus and less spending on food, rents, packaging and payroll. Its fourth quarter expenses and operating costs dropped more than 40% to USD 292.6 million. The company also offered a mix of low-price and premium foods to drive profitable traffic to its restaurant including chicken parmesan sandwiches, Whopper hamburger and gingerbread milkshakes. According to the company, revenue grew by 5.6% and overall sales at established restaurants rose 2.7%.
| China to be lead producer in 2017
[21 February 2013] In just four years China will surpass the US as the world’s largest poultry meat producer. China’s poultry meat production is expected to grow 37% between 2010 and 2020, said the OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook. The report also noted that Thailand’s poultry meat exports are projected to grow 55% from 99,047 thousand tonnes in 2010 to 124,368 thousand tonnes in 2020. Vietnam, meanwhile, is expected increase its poultry meat imports to 37% between 2010 and 2020. After dropping in 2011 poultry meat imports are expected to recover and end up 49% higher in China in 2021 compared to 2012.
| Singapore to import 145,000mt broiler meats
[21 February 2013] Singapore’s estimated total broiler meat imports for 2013 are forecast to be 145,000 tonnes up 61% since a decade ago, said the USDA International Egg and Poultry Review. Singapore, Asean’s most affluent member, imports a considerable amount of high value products and is a re-export base for products such as frozen poultry consumed in other parts of Asia. Of Singapore’s frozen net poultry imports, chicken accounts for 99% of volume. Brazil commands 56%, the US 32% and Argentina 9% market share of Singapore’s frozen poultry imports. Live birds are imported from Malaysia and slaughtered in Singapore, making up the dominant product in the market and are in high demand based on traditional demand traits.
| Indonesia deals with graft after slashing beef imports
[21 February 2013] Indonesia’s move to reduce beef import quotas from 100,000 tonnes to 32,000 tonnes this year to boost domestic production has backfired. The ensuing shortage has pushed prices up and the industry is reportedly rife with bribery where the now limited quotas go to the highest bidder. Indonesia Meat Importers Association Executive Director Thomas Sembiring told The Straits Times that as long as meat import quotas are imposed and enforcement is “not transparent” graft will remain a problem. Since quotas were slashed two years ago, consumers pay more than double the price, roughly USD 10.31/kg.
| Philippines agri department readies for export
[21 February 2013] The elimination of tariffs on most farm goods traded within the Asean region after 2015 can make the Philippines more competitive in exporting livestock and poultry. Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said: “We have the capability to export. We are preparing the livestock and poultry sector because these industries are free from foot-and-mouth disease and bird flu.” Last year the poultry sector saw gains in the production of chicken (4.6%) and egg (4.4%). Duck and egg production grew 2% and 5.5% respectively while the livestock sector grew 1.1%. The department revealed that it is negotiating a large export volume of duck to Japan and Singapore.
| Indian cold chain sector to grow at 26% annually
[21 February 2013] The Indian cold chain industry is expected to register a compound annual growth rate of 25.8% to reach USD 11.8 billion by 2017, according to a report by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India. In its report on ‘Opportunities in cold chain: emerging trends and market challenges,’ it said: “The organised retail sector, which is expected to reach USD 184 billion by 2020, will play an instrumental role in the development of the industry. Increased local focus will ensure the availability of food throughout the year and reduce wastage of food in the country,” it said. Retailers investing under the FDI regulation on multi-retail are required to invest 50% of their money in building new warehouses, cold storage units and modern transport systems.
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