CP Foods pushes ‘3C platform’ for sustainable growth of Thai broiler industry

The "3C platform", embracing consolidation, contribution and collaboration, is the key to success for Thailand's broiler industry, Charoen Pokphand Foods Plc (CP Foods) said.

The platform will enable Thai farmers to adopt a more efficient and more sustainable business model as well as assure consumers around the world about safety, hygiene and traceability throughout the supply chain.

Dr Payungsak Somyanontanagul, DVM, vice president and head of CP Foods Animal Welfare Committee, said that the company has placed great importance on animal welfare practices and is one of the strategic goals of the company's CPF 2030 Sustainability in Action.

The 3C platform will ensure safety, hygiene and traceability of Thailand's broilers to consumers around the world.

In terms of consolidation, Payungsak said the industry should consolidate and further develop its strengths to improve competitiveness.

He explained that the Thai broiler supply chain has a number of strong points, such as advanced disease prevention system. CP Foods said it is cooperating with the Department of Livestock Development to set up a poultry compartment system according to the standards of the International Organisation for Animal Health to proactively prevent the outbreak.

"Moreover, Thai chickens are raised in closed system houses following high animal-welfare principles. This allows the chickens to stay healthy, thus reducing the chance of antibiotic use and, eventually, supporting the One Health principle," he said.

In terms of contribution, Payungsak said the industry should focus on advanced technology development to increase efficiency, reduce costs and be environmentally friendly.

"Moreover, the principles of the Bio-Circular-Green Model should be integrated into all aspects of business, covering feed, farm and food," he said.

He pointed out that CP Foods is currently working on multiple research and development projects, such as alternative feed ingredient, precision nutrition, and autogenous vaccine for Thai livestock to improve the competitiveness of the industry and reduce dependence on imports.

For collaboration, Payungsak said partnership and contribution from all related sectors are crucial for strengthening broiler industry competitiveness and to achieve the goal of development of a product champion for the country.

Aside from this principle, he said CP Foods focuses on research and development to enhance animal welfare standards throughout the supply chain, adding that 100 per cent of the company's farm animals are raised according to five freedom principles with responsible and prudent antibiotics.

He added that the company has adopted Smart Farm to increase production efficiency and promote animal welfare in broiler farms, in which artificial intelligence and automation enable CP Foods to control the environment and ensure the well-being of the animals within the farm.

"In 2021, CP Foods improved its score to Tier 3 on the latest version of Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare report, showing significant development in the areas of innovation and leadership, as well as performance reporting and impact," he added.