Food group denies hoarding pork after authorities raid warehouse

In a continued spat after Songkhla livestock authorities discovered over 200 tonnes of pork in a refrigerated warehouse, the company accused of hoarding the pork insisted it has not been doing so. The company, Betagro, which is one of Thailand’s leading agro-industry and food businesses, issued a letter of clarification yesterday, stating that the frozen meat belongs to its subsidiary and was being kept in the rented warehouse to meet consumers’ demands for the next week.

Betagro emphasised that storing their meat in the warehouse is normal in the food supply industry. It says it is willing to fully cooperate with authorities and follow all requirements the government poses. It is also willing to participate in the Commerce Ministry’s programme to help lessen the burden on financial consumers by providing pork at about 150 baht per kilogramme at 667 retail outlets under the programme.

Meat prices are surging in Thailand, and authorities are cracking down more on merchants who raise prices too much, as well as on hoarders. All cold storage facilities that store more than 5,000 kgs of pork are currently required to report their stocks to the Internal Trade Department, or its branch offices in the provinces, every seven days. Facilities must also report animal stocks of more than 500 live pigs. Businesses found guilty of hoarding can be imprisoned for seven years, or fined 140,000 baht.

Source: Thai PBS