Thailand's Pork Industry Faces Uncertain Future Amid Cheap US Imports Under Trump Administration
Thai cuisine often features pork as a central ingredient, whether it's stewed in a sweet and spicy sauce or served as a crispy fried dish. The country's domestic pig farmers have long been the backbone of its $3 billion pork industry, but the recent trade deal between Thailand and the United States has left many worried about their livelihoods.
The US government has proposed allowing over 10,000 types of goods to enter Thailand duty-free in order to reduce its massive trade deficit with the Southeast Asian country. Pork, corn, soybeans, and certain fruits are among those items that have been granted favorable treatment under the agreement.
The decision is a major concern for Thailand's pig farmers, who fear that the surge in cheap US pork could spell disaster for their industry. The US produces its hogs using ractopamine, an additive banned in many countries due to concerns over its impact on human health and animal welfare. Thai farmers say they are struggling to compete with such subsidized imports, particularly given Thailand's own regulations limiting the use of certain feed ingredients.
"This will not survive if the cheap pork from the US floods into the market," said Worawut Siripun, deputy secretary-general of the Swine Raisers Association of Thailand. "If pig farmers can't sell their pigs, it will have a ripple effect on everyone involved in the production cycle – from feed crop farmers to animal feed producers."
Corn and soybean farmers are also bracing for tough times due to the tariffs imposed by the Thai government, which has been made more expensive by the country's price controls. This comes as Thailand prepares to lift its annual corn import limit and scrap a 20 percent tariff on US pork in order to appease Washington.
The Trump administration has announced plans to gain preferential access to Thailand's rare earths, sell billions of dollars' worth of US-made aircraft, and secure promises from Bangkok not to tax digital services companies. However, the concessions made by Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul are seen as too generous by many analysts.
"The minister of commerce has said negotiations will conclude by the end of 2025," said Weerayut Karnchuchat, deputy leader of Thailand's opposition People's Party. "This leaves around two months for stakeholders to be heard. The government should hold eight weeks of stakeholder hearings, especially those directly affected – like corn farmers."
With trade talks under a cloud following the suspension of the Thailand-Cambodia peace deal, Thailand is facing an uncertain future in its relations with the US. As domestic pig farmers and other agricultural producers struggle to compete with cheaper imports, there are growing concerns about the country's food security and economic stability.
Thai cuisine often features pork as a central ingredient, whether it's stewed in a sweet and spicy sauce or served as a crispy fried dish. The country's domestic pig farmers have long been the backbone of its $3 billion pork industry, but the recent trade deal between Thailand and the United States has left many worried about their livelihoods.
The US government has proposed allowing over 10,000 types of goods to enter Thailand duty-free in order to reduce its massive trade deficit with the Southeast Asian country. Pork, corn, soybeans, and certain fruits are among those items that have been granted favorable treatment under the agreement.
The decision is a major concern for Thailand's pig farmers, who fear that the surge in cheap US pork could spell disaster for their industry. The US produces its hogs using ractopamine, an additive banned in many countries due to concerns over its impact on human health and animal welfare. Thai farmers say they are struggling to compete with such subsidized imports, particularly given Thailand's own regulations limiting the use of certain feed ingredients.
"This will not survive if the cheap pork from the US floods into the market," said Worawut Siripun, deputy secretary-general of the Swine Raisers Association of Thailand. "If pig farmers can't sell their pigs, it will have a ripple effect on everyone involved in the production cycle – from feed crop farmers to animal feed producers."
Corn and soybean farmers are also bracing for tough times due to the tariffs imposed by the Thai government, which has been made more expensive by the country's price controls. This comes as Thailand prepares to lift its annual corn import limit and scrap a 20 percent tariff on US pork in order to appease Washington.
The Trump administration has announced plans to gain preferential access to Thailand's rare earths, sell billions of dollars' worth of US-made aircraft, and secure promises from Bangkok not to tax digital services companies. However, the concessions made by Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul are seen as too generous by many analysts.
"The minister of commerce has said negotiations will conclude by the end of 2025," said Weerayut Karnchuchat, deputy leader of Thailand's opposition People's Party. "This leaves around two months for stakeholders to be heard. The government should hold eight weeks of stakeholder hearings, especially those directly affected – like corn farmers."
With trade talks under a cloud following the suspension of the Thailand-Cambodia peace deal, Thailand is facing an uncertain future in its relations with the US. As domestic pig farmers and other agricultural producers struggle to compete with cheaper imports, there are growing concerns about the country's food security and economic stability.
... cheap US imports from the trump admin is like a ton of bricks on their heads 
they're already struggling due to thailand's own trade policies, now this new deal is gonna make it even harder for them to compete. gotta feel sorry for the farmers and feed crop farmers too 
they're just trying to make ends meet but with all these tariffs and import restrictions, it's like the whole system is stacked against them 
meanwhile, thai consumers might be happy about cheaper meat, but at what cost? 
! The Thai pork industry is literally on shaky ground right now, and it's not just because of cheap US imports 
. I mean, we get it, trade deals are a thing, but let's be real, the ractopamine ban in many countries for a reason 
. It's like, if you're gonna sell stuff to Thailand, at least make sure it's safe for human consumption, right? 
.
. Like, what's up with that? Is this really what we want to prioritize in trade talks? It feels like Thailand is giving too much away for very little in return 
.
. I mean, the opposition party is right on point saying the government should hold more hearings for corn farmers – priorities, people! 
. I mean, they're already struggling to compete due to regulations limiting certain feed ingredients 
. Now, if cheap American pork takes over the market, it could be game over for them 
. Not just that, corn and soybean farmers are also worried about tariffs imposed by Thailand 
️. It's like, the government is making things harder for them without even giving them a chance to be heard 
. And what really gets me is that the concessions made by Thai PM are seen as too generous 
. The whole thing feels like a huge trade deal just for the US benefit 
. Thailand's food security and economic stability are at risk here 
. We should be supporting local farmers more, not letting cheap imports flood in 
. But on the other hand, what happens when our farmers can't compete with those cheap imports? 
. Thailand should be proud of its own agriculture and not rely on cheaper imports. This is all about corporate greed, not about helping farmers or the economy. The government needs to rethink this deal ASAP 
.
!
I mean, who can compete with cheap US pork? Not to mention the ractopamine thing, that's like a ticking time bomb for human health 
. The gov should listen to the stakeholders and hold more hearings before making any major moves 
seriously though, who knew ractopamine was a thing? it's like they're trying to poison our pigs or something 
but for real tho, the economics of this deal are super sketchy. i mean, 10k types of goods getting duty-free? that's just a recipe for disaster 
and now thai farmers r strugglin to compete w/ cheaper imports esp since they cant use some feed ingredients 
.
i mean, they're already struggling to compete due to their own regulations limiting ractopamine use in feed ingredients. now the floodgates are open and it's gonna have a ripple effect on everyone involved in the production cycle 