Factory farming in Thailand (1)

It will be busy again in the better in the next few days hotels in Bangkok. More than 600 exhibitors expect more than 15.000 visitors, mainly from Asian countries, to the VIV Asia 2011 Exhibition, which will be held from 9 to 11 March in the BITEC Exhibition Halls.

Not only the hotels, but I know from experience that the nightlife (Patpong, Soi Cowboy) can also expect extra crowds. After a day at the fair, you naturally want to relax.

The VIV Asia 2011 is a trade fair with the theme “From feed to meat”. It focuses on the bio-industry, i.e. chicken farms, pig farms, cows/calves and fish farming. At this exhibition there is a Dutch pavilion, where more than 60 Dutch companies present themselves. This makes the Netherlands – after China – the largest exhibitor. Workshops and seminars will be held during this fair, with a particular focus this year on safety in the food chain.

That this exhibition is held in Bangkok is not surprising when you consider that Thailand is a leader in this industry in the region. Not only in terms of production, but also in terms of innovation in production methods. Thailand is the world's largest exporter of shrimp, Asia's largest exporter of chicken (products) and also a major supplier of pork (meat).

I will come back to the innovation methods in the factory farming industry in Thailand after the exhibition.