BANGKOK: -- In an attempt to curtail the rising price of pork in Thailand, the Commerce Ministry on Tuesday will forbid moving pigs out of their zones as well as imposing a ban on export of live pigs to neighboring countries, a senior ministry official said Saturday.

Yanyong Phuangrach, director-general of the Internal Trade Department, said Mingkwan Saengsuwan, deputy prime minister and commerce minister, would announce the order Tuesday and it would remain effective until the price of pork returns to normal.

Moving swine from one district to another, especially in the 26 border provinces, need permission from provincial commercial officials first, according to Mr. Yanyong.

Violators face a maximum five-year imprisonment or a fine of Bt100,000 or both, he said.

Admitting that the price of piglets has risen abnormally, especially since January, Mr. Yanyong said he had ordered both major swine producers as well as small farmers to submit their production costs to the department.

If the production costs are found to be exaggerated, producers will be asked to lower prices to the reasonable level, he said.

Mr. Yanyong insisted that pork retail price at Bt98 per kilogram, fixed by the Ministry and now available at some markets and malls, would be available to consumers for at least another two months and prices of pork would fall to a reasonable level after the Ministry has solved pig problems.

Soybean and other feed producers will be invited for talks with the Internal Trade Department officials next week on the impact from import duty imposed on soybeans, he added.

--TNA 2008-03-15