Photo courtesy of Bangkok Post

 

The Department of Internal Trade (DIT) has called on retail and wholesale stores to maintain stable pork prices despite recent supply constraints. DIT Director General Wittayakorn Maneenetr highlighted that consultations with the Department of Livestock Development and the Swine Raisers Association of Thailand have revealed a decrease in pig availability due to extreme heat conditions impacting their growth rates.

 

Currently, around 60,000 pigs are available daily, meeting domestic needs. However, the intense heat since late March has caused pigs to gain less weight pre-slaughter, impacting supply. Additionally, farmers face rising costs in electricity and water to manage farm temperatures and address these challenges.

 

For now, live pig prices at the farm-gate level remain steady at 88 baht per kilogramme, while retail pork prices vary from 72.30 baht to 133.94 baht per kilogramme, depending on the region and cut. It is anticipated that prices might ease with the cooler, rainy season which aligns with the production cycle.

 

 

 

Wittayakorn stated that the DIT has engaged with stores to ensure they keep pork prices stable. If there are plans to raise prices, stores must inform the DIT and provide justifications. The department will collaborate with major producers to keep costs in check, aiming to shield consumers from undue impacts.

 

"The DIT is committed to ensuring pork remains accessible for consumers," Wittayakorn explained. "Price increases must be assessed, and provincial offices will actively monitor market pricing."

 

To assist consumers, the DIT continues to offer pork at reduced prices during Blue Flag events in Bangkok and other provinces. They keenly monitor both pig and pork prices and encourage reports of unfair pricing through their hotline, 1569.

 

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-04-23

 

 

 

Raise the prices of everything and keep the wages teh same and see what will happen... soon nobody will buy pork anymore as it is too expensive.. Than the prices will raise again as several farmers will stop or being bankrupted by the low selling and costs.. and so the circle goes on and on.. Now the heat is making the pork more expensive, later it will be the rain because there was not enough food for the pigs and so we excuses for everything to fill the pockets of the rich

Most pork is produced on big factory farms by big companies. like CP and Betagro  they have they own feed mills, buy in ingredients in bulk and by the ship load, a lot of food stuffs for pigs and poultry is imported, they are going to be OK, they will what the price to be high, some of the smaller family-owned farms will be hit the hardest.

The hot weather is a problem, the rainy season is not, pigs are in the shed the whole time, farm gate price is right Thai friend of mine has a few pigs, and he says the farm gate price is good, he said 85 baht/kg, he would be happy at that.