APHIS/Bangkok and FAS/Bangkok jointly succeeded in opening the Thai market for live U.S. swine and cattle exports. In coordination with pertinent Thai and U.S. authorities, Post facilitated the terms and conditions for an audit of live cattle and swine production systems in the United States. Following the May-27-June 5, 2013 audit, Thai authorities agreed to revise its live animal importation requirements for breeding swine and live cattle.
The Thai Department of Livestock Development (DLD) published the new breeding swine requirements on June 21, 2013. The requirement can be found at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/regulations/vs/iregs/animals/downloads/th_swine.pdf. The revised requirements allow all U.S. swine breeders to export to Thailand as long as they meet Thai animal health requirements.
Trade sources reported that the new agreement forged by APHIS and FAS immediately resulted in a purchase of 150 head of U.S. breeding swine worth $300,000. The shipment is scheduled to arrive in Thailand by the end of July. In 2012, Thailand imported 1,359 head of breeding swine worth $2.83 million, most of which were supplied by Denmark and Canada.
DLD is working on the live cattle protocol, which should be concluded in August or September 2013.
