Livestock sector in Thailand - statistics & facts

Thailand holds a strong position in the fisheries industry and is a big producer of poultry, especially chicken. Meat is a significant part of the Thai diet and is included in many local dishes. The market has been driven and is continuing to rise due to the demand for meat both domestically and abroad. With the number of visitors returning to pre-COVID-19 levels, there is a strong home market for chicken and pork meat, fueled by the expanding local economy and the rehabilitation of the tourism industry in Thailand, as well as the country’s service sectors. Lately, Thailand has become one of the leading countries in Asia in terms of demand for organic meat, derived from the rising awareness of healthy lifestyles.

Meat and dairy production in Thailand

Thailand is among the leading countries with the highest pig stock, compared to other countries or regions in the Asia Pacific. In Thailand, poultry, particularly broilers, make up the majority of the livestock population. Consequently, most of the nation's meat exports are chicken products, while the pig livestock mostly serves domestic demand. Swine and poultry livestock are essential contributors to the nation’s food security. With a rising middle class and more and more Western cuisine influence on the Thai urban consumption of milk products, the demand for dairy cow stock in Thailand has been on a steady rise over the last decade. While the pig stock in the country has been fluctuating in recent years, the broiler stock saw a slight increase, and the goat stock in Thailand rose significantly.

Challenges in Thailand’s livestock sector

Epidemic diseases in Thailand’s livestock sector pose significant challenges, impacting both the economy and food security. For example, the Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) led to a spike in the number of cattle deaths caused by epidemic diseases in Thailand in the last two years, impacting cattle production significantly, leading to substantial losses in the country’s livestock industry. In 2022, the African swine fever (ASF) ravaged the country’s swine population. It has a high mortality rate among infected pigs, disrupting the swine industry and resulting in rising pork prices for the consumer. The Thai government has been actively working to control and prevent the number of swine deaths caused by epidemic diseases in Thailand, as well as the spread of epidemic diseases through stringent biosecurity measures and vaccination campaigns. While notable successes exist, challenges such as recent disease outbreaks, and sustainability concerns persist.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Dec 20, 2023

Key insights

Meat market revenue in Thailand
6.8bn USD
Export value of chicken meat and products from Thailand
142bn THB
Number of broiler in Thailand
318.8m
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Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Number of permitted slaughters in Thailand in 2022, by livestock (in 1,000s)

Livestock

Number of permitted slaughters Thailand 2022, by livestock

Broiler stock in Thailand from 2013 to 2023 (in million heads)

Livestock

Broiler stock Thailand 2013-2023

Growth of gross domestic product (GDP) from livestock segment in Thailand from 2020 to 2023 with a forecast for 2024

Economy

Growth of GDP from livestock Thailand 2020-2024

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