As a result many chickens not yet ready for slaughtering were sold out at a cheap price, and many breeding companies had to destroy their DOCs as they could not find buyers. The period ended with a surge in the price of chickens because of scarcity of supply. Meanwhile the buying power of the people had not recovered. Therefore, only poultry farms integrated with feed producing facility survive the difficult period. They are mainly companies develop ing the PIR partnership scheme such as Charoen Pokphand.
Feed is an important element in animal husbandry industry.
In poultry farming industry feed is even the largest element of cost. This indicated that animal husbandry industry is highly sensitive to fluctua tions in the prices of feed. According to an official record at the Industry and Trade Ministry, the country now has 246 animal feed producers, but based on a record at the animal husbandry directorate general in 1999, there were only 63 producers. It is estimated that the number of the producers remaining active is reduced to only 43 companies. The rest are feed for pigs, milch cows and aqua culture.