Pig farmers in Thailand are set to meet with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to express their objection to the administration’s plan to start importing pork from the US.
Swine Raisers Association of Thailand president Surachai Sutthitham said he and some 2,000 of his fellow swineherds will petition the premier to review the policies regarding American pork imports. The farmers argue that bringing in pork from abroad will cripple the local industry since they will be unable to compete with cheap US pork, made available through the United States’ significantly lower production costs.
Additionally, Surachai said US pork is laced with so-called “beta-agonists,” which boost the growth of pigs. These include ractopamine and carbadox, which are used as feed additives, a practice legally allowed in the US.
The use of such drugs has been banned for Thailand’s swine raisers, MCOT online news reported.
