For the first time, Singapore’s food safety authority has opened the door for chilled poultry meat from Thailand, according to Dr Soravit Thanito, director-general of the Department of Livestock Development.

Prior to this, Thailand only exported frozen meat. It is estimated that exports of chilled poultry meat to Singapore in 2020 could be worth about 100 million baht.

Currently, some 70% of Thai poultry exports are frozen meat destined for Japan and Europe. Total exports in 2019 were 936,182 tonnes, worth 113 billion baht. The remaining 30%, mainly chilled meat, was worth 554.5 million baht. Key markets for chilled meat are Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia.