| A BAN on uncooked turkey meat from the US is forcing Thai restaurateurs and hoteliers to seek alternative supply sources, especially in view of upcoming holidays like this month’s Thanksgiving and the Christmas period when demand for the bird is at its highest. While some chefs and F&B managers say they have plenty of turkey meat in stock, others who failed to place their orders when supplies were still plentiful are worried by the ban, imposed by the Thai government’s health and livestock authorities following an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) discovered in the US poultry industry last December. |  |
With a separate ban on uncooked poultry products from Australia, a major shortage of turkey from traditional sources is looming in Thailand.
“I think there will be a lot of frustrated chefs and F&B managers panicking to obtain suppliers for December,” predicted Bob Coombes, managing director of Choice Foods Thailand, one of the country’s biggest meat and poultry importers.
His view is echoed by several Bangkok restaurant owners who say they are already facing supply problems. “What is still available is expensive, and we will have to explain to our customers why we have to pass on these extra costs in the higher price of our buffets and seasonal dining offers,” noted one expat manager.
However, the executive chef of a leading Bangkok hotel with a long list of events that specify US turkey during the holiday season has less reason to be concerned by the shortage. “As always we order in advance during the early part of the year, so I have my stock on hand for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
“But if the ban continues into next year, we may have to get our turkeys from Europe, if allowed. I recently met a supplier from Wales, for example.”
Mr Coombes, a longtime supplier of US turkey in Thailand, has a solution to the upcoming shortages by offering his customers imported cooked boneless turkey from Spain, which is not affected by any government bans.
He also recommends buyers to be wary of old turkey stocks. “If purchased in June in the US, turkeys are relatively cheap, but they are difficult to handle because of their awkward shape and poor packing. It was a fact that if your freezer had any turkeys left in it on December 31, most would be with you until the following November for Thanksgiving.
“Although the market has changed, there are not many sales of turkey during the year. One source stated that an importer has turkey in stock for seven years!”
The turkey market here is said to be worth US$1.5 million, mostly from the US.
Dozens of countries have imposed total or partial bans on US poultry and poultry imports since an outbreak of HPAI last year.
“I think there will be a lot of frustrated chefs and F&B managers panicking to obtain suppliers for December,” predicted Bob Coombes, managing director of Choice Foods Thailand, one of the country’s biggest meat and poultry importers.
His view is echoed by several Bangkok restaurant owners who say they are already facing supply problems. “What is still available is expensive, and we will have to explain to our customers why we have to pass on these extra costs in the higher price of our buffets and seasonal dining offers,” noted one expat manager.
However, the executive chef of a leading Bangkok hotel with a long list of events that specify US turkey during the holiday season has less reason to be concerned by the shortage. “As always we order in advance during the early part of the year, so I have my stock on hand for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
“But if the ban continues into next year, we may have to get our turkeys from Europe, if allowed. I recently met a supplier from Wales, for example.”
Mr Coombes, a longtime supplier of US turkey in Thailand, has a solution to the upcoming shortages by offering his customers imported cooked boneless turkey from Spain, which is not affected by any government bans.
He also recommends buyers to be wary of old turkey stocks. “If purchased in June in the US, turkeys are relatively cheap, but they are difficult to handle because of their awkward shape and poor packing. It was a fact that if your freezer had any turkeys left in it on December 31, most would be with you until the following November for Thanksgiving.
“Although the market has changed, there are not many sales of turkey during the year. One source stated that an importer has turkey in stock for seven years!”
The turkey market here is said to be worth US$1.5 million, mostly from the US.
Dozens of countries have imposed total or partial bans on US poultry and poultry imports since an outbreak of HPAI last year.
