CP Foods thanks PM as it resumes chicken exports to Saudi Arabia

Charoen Pokphand Foods Plc (CP Foods) has expressed its thanks to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, ministers and related agencies for their efforts in reviving relations with Saudi Arabia, which have paved the way for the opening up of a major export market for Thailand.

CP Foods received the good news that its five chicken processing plants are among 11 Thai factories that have been certified by the Saudi Food & Drug Authority (SFDA).

The SFDA recently announced on its website that it would allow import of poultry from 11 producers in Thailand after checking their chicken quality and whether they are manufactured strictly to international halal standards.

CP Foods Chief Executive Officer Prasit Boondoungprasert said that the Saudi Arabia government has lifted the import ban on Thai chicken, egg, as well as chilled and frozen fresh chicken products, which had been in force since 2004.

He said the SFDA certification helps convince Saudi people, as well as other importing countries that CP Foods’ quality meat and products are derived from international standard processing lines through halal restrictions and a quality control system that ensures traceability.

“We would like to give this special thanks to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit, Agriculture Minister Chalermchai Sree-on and all government agencies for their efforts to work hard and negotiate with Saudi officials and closely monitor the outcome," he said.

"This success has allowed Thailand to revive export of chicken to Saudi Arabia, which imports about 590,000 tons of chicken, offering a great opportunity to Thai exporters," Prasit added.

CP Foods’ Minburi Slaughterhouse, Minburi Chicken Processing Plant I, Minburi Chicken Processing Plant II, Saraburi Slaughterhouse Plant and the Saraburi Chicken Processing Plant have been certified by the SFDA. The Saudi agency had inspected the company’s operations since 2019.

Saudi Arabia is a high potential market with a population of 35.6 million people and offers opportunities within the Gulf Cooperation Council of six Arab states. Also, Saudi Arabia is the country with the highest share of food imports at 52.7 per cent. Saudis on average consume 45 kg of chicken meat per person per year, for a total annual demand of 1.5 million tons.

Previously, CP Foods was the largest Thai chicken exporter to Saudi Arabia. The company’s first export batch will be shipped to Riyadh this month.

CP Foods is committed to quality chicken meat production that meets internationally recognised standards. All the company’s slaughterhouses and processing plants are certified standards such as GMP, HACCP, ISO 9001, etc, Prasit said.

More importantly, the company has a special production process that meets Islamic standards, such as using Muslim staff for slaughtering chicken, and all ingredients are halal.

CP Foods’ chicken products have been trusted by customers around the world. The company’s key export destinations are high-quality markets including Japan, the United Kingdom, and the European Union.