Processed Chicken Feet Export to Thailand: Tariffs, DLD Entry & Factory Demand

1. How to evaluate Thailand’s chicken feet market

Before contacting a buyer, one structural fact must be accepted: Thailand is a large chicken producer and exporter. That changes the shape of import demand.

An exporter who assumes “Thailand needs chicken feet, so any cheaper product will sell” usually does not receive a professional purchase request. A Thai factory may review imported product only when one of the following advantages exists:

• Physical specifications match the production line;
• Product grading is more uniform;
• Delivered price is competitive after all costs;
• The supplier can hold volume and quality across successive periods;
• The product suits a specific formula or process;
• Foreign supply reduces short-term raw-material shortage risk;
• Packaging and freezing form lower factory preparation cost.

Marketing target should therefore not be “the general Thailand market” but a specific buyer with a specific application.

Potential industrial buyers

Depending on product form and permits, buyers may include:

• Poultry processing plants;
• Ready-meal or semi-ready food manufacturers;
• Cook, flavour, and pack plants for chicken parts;
• Wholesalers of food-industry raw materials;
• Restaurant and food-service suppliers;
• Producers of collagen- or skin-based products;
• Trading companies licensed for animal-product imports.

For collagen extraction, gelatin production, or non-food uses, the same tariff code and human-food requirements should not automatically be assumed. Final use can change classification and permit needs.

2. First define exactly what “processed chicken feet” means

A common export mistake is using the broad term “processed chicken feet” without defining the process. For customs, veterinary control, and the factory buyer, the difference between cleaned raw frozen product, blanched, cooked, and ready-to-eat goods is critical.

For product that is only cleaned, graded, and frozen after slaughter, review usually starts in Chapter 02 and the frozen edible chicken cuts and offal group. In Thailand’s classification lists, line 02071499 covers “other” frozen chicken parts and offal, and DLD oversight applies. If the product is cooked, flavoured, canned, or ready-to-eat, 02071499 should not be accepted without review; Chapter 16 prepared meat products may apply.

Practical conclusion: the exporter must write the product description from the production method before pricing — not merely as “processed chicken feet”.

Suitable technical description for buyer inquiry

An initial description for frozen product may include:

• Edible chicken feet;
• Cleaned;
• Tip-trimmed or with full nails;
• Surface skin removed or retained;
• No unacceptable breakage;
• Graded by agreed weight or length;
• Quick-frozen;
• No additives, if truly the case;
• Defined inner bag and master carton;
• Suitable for human consumption and further processing.

This description is the basis for the importer’s view on code, permit, and entry feasibility.

3. Tariff code and import duty for chicken feet in Thailand

For cleaned edible frozen chicken feet not yet converted into cooked or ready-to-eat product, line HS 02071499 is the most important code to review. Thailand’s tariff structure places “other” frozen chicken parts and offal under this line.

Published Thai tariff tables show a base rate of 40% for line 02071499. The rate actually payable on a specific shipment also depends on origin, applicable tariff regime, possible preferential agreement, and origin documentation. The 40% figure should be treated as a key feasibility reference, not a substitute for the importer’s final customs inquiry.

This matters especially for Iran. Many regional suppliers to Thailand can use Asian preferential frameworks, while an Iranian exporter must compare cost structure against the tariff regime applicable to Iranian origin.

Why tariff can change the deal

Suppose two suppliers have similar ex-works prices. If one benefits from a preferential tariff and the other does not, delivered cost in the buyer’s warehouse can differ significantly. For a factory buyer managing margin on high volume, that difference may matter more than a few percent discount on selling price.

An export offer should therefore separate three prices:

1. Product price at origin;
2. Price to destination port;
3. Final import and factory-delivered cost.

A Thai factory effectively decides on the third figure.

Classification decision table

4. The main export barrier: origin and plant veterinary approval

In animal-origin product exports, having a customer and even an agreed price is not enough to ship. Thailand controls entry of animals and animal products under the DLD system.

Official DLD import procedures state that disease status of the country of origin is reviewed and animal products must come from foreign production sources approved by Thailand’s Department of Livestock Development. The import request is also submitted by the importer through the relevant system.

An Iranian exporter should not start firm transport booking, container reservation, or Thailand-dedicated production before this stage is confirmed.

Stage zero: entry feasibility review

Before a large commercial sample or container negotiation, the Thai buyer should clarify:

• Is import of this product from the intended origin permitted?
• Must the Iranian plant already be DLD-approved?
• Is documentary assessment enough, or is audit or other confirmation required?
• What health-certificate text is acceptable for this product?
• Is poultry disease status in the origin acceptable to Thailand?
• Are temporary restrictions due to avian influenza or Newcastle disease in force?

These questions should be answered before serious discussion of container count.

Importance of disease status

Import rules are not only about plant hygiene. The destination country must also accept the origin’s poultry health status. Outbreak announcements can trigger restrictions on a country, region, or product group. Thailand has also issued restrictive decisions on poultry or poultry-carcass imports from certain origins at various times.

A stable contract therefore needs traceability from farm and abattoir to final pack.

5. Practical shipment entry pathway in Thailand

Practical import can be reviewed in three stages: before transport, at arrival, and after arrival.

Stage one: pre-shipment actions

Under published DLD procedures, the importer must register the relevant request through the electronic system for entry of animals, carcasses, and covered products. Updated procedures refer to registration at least 7 business days before arrival. Documents such as the health certificate, invoice, bill of lading, and packing list are included in the file as applicable.

The usual chain is:

1. Buyer receives product and plant specifications;
2. Origin and plant approval status is checked;
3. Import permit request is registered;
4. Consignment- or product-specific veterinary conditions are received;
5. Conditions are sent to the exporting country’s veterinary authority;
6. Exporter prepares goods to those conditions;
7. Official veterinary health certificate is issued;
8. Container is sealed and shipped under required control.

The most important point is that health-certificate text must not be guessed after production. Thailand’s accepted conditions must be defined first; production and certification follow them.

Stage two: at arrival

On arrival, the importer presents consignment documents to the animal quarantine station. The original health certificate from the origin veterinary authority, commercial documents, and transport information must match the issued permit.

If goods and documents are acceptable, final entry approval is issued. If they do not match conditions, veterinary authorities may decide on return or destruction. A simple mismatch — wrong seal number, different plant name, incompatible weight, or different product description — can turn an administrative error into serious commercial risk.

Stage three: post-entry control

Thai veterinary procedures also allow transfer to approved storage and laboratory sampling. Until official control requirements are completed, the buyer should not schedule factory production on the assumption of immediate release.

6. Role of Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration

Chicken feet for human consumption are not only a “veterinary product”; they are also food. The importer must therefore review Thailand’s food requirements within the import structure.

Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration requires food importers selling in Thailand to hold a food import licence. For some general food groups, including animals and animal products imported as raw material and non-ready-to-eat product, food serial-number requirements may differ from controlled or consumer-packaged foods; but the importer must still complete import licence and required system registration.

If chicken feet enter as cooked, flavoured, consumer-packaged, or ready-to-eat product, food and labelling requirements become broader.

Commercial and technical documents to prepare

For a professional file, the seller should prepare from the outset:

• Full plant details;
• Relevant production and slaughter licences;
• Process description;
• Production flow diagram;
• Technical product specifications;
• Freezing method;
• Storage conditions;
• Relevant microbiological and chemical test reports;
• Batch certificate of analysis if agreed;
• Veterinary health certificate;
• Commercial invoice;
• Packing list;
• Bill of lading;
• Certificate of origin;
• Batch number;
• Production date;
• Container and seal information;
• Abattoir and plant traceability information.

Buyers wishing to review Iranian chicken feet can submit this information package together with volume and destination through an Iranco purchase or supply request so available options can be reviewed against real technical requirements.

7. Technical specifications expected by factory buyers

An industrial factory does not buy chicken feet on “good or bad” alone. Criteria must be measurable or inspectable.

The first step is to define whether the product is for direct food sale or for further washing, cooking, flavouring, or processing.

Why grading matters

On a line where chicken feet are cooked or heat-treated, large size variation means larger pieces need longer time to reach target texture than smaller ones. The result can be uneven product texture. Instead of a vague term such as “large size”, buyer and seller should define the grading method.

Block frozen or individually frozen?

For a factory that defrosts whole cartons at once, block freezing can be economical. A unit consuming a defined quantity per batch may prefer individually separated pieces. This choice affects energy cost, defrost time, factory space, labour, and product loss — not only appearance.

8. Quality control for export chicken feet

Quality inspection must be done before loading. Reliance on a few photos or a sample sent weeks earlier is not enough for a container order.

Visual control

Chicken feet suitable for food processing should be assessed for:

• Colour uniformity;
• Surface cleanliness;
• Absence of external contamination;
• Absence of undesirable slaughter residues;
• Skin condition;
• Number of toes and their condition;
• Bruising and blood spots;
• Breakage;
• Freezer burn;
• Surface drying;
• Signs of thaw and refreeze.

A reference photo set is best included in the contract. Terms such as “export quality” or “Grade 1” have limited contractual value without acceptance criteria.

Microbiological testing

The test programme should follow destination requirements, product use, and buyer specifications. In raw poultry products, hygiene indicators and relevant chicken-meat pathogens matter.

A professional buyer usually wants to know:

• From which batch sampling was done;
• What laboratory accreditation applies;
• What test method was used;
• How long before loading sampling occurred;
• Whether the COA matches the actual export batch.

An old test report may help introduce plant capability but does not replace batch-specific certification.

Drug residues and contaminants

Because the product is animal-origin, the supplier control system must manage veterinary drug residues and related contaminants. This control starts at farm level and is not replaced by final testing alone.

Net weight and ice

A common frozen-product dispute is the gap between nominal carton weight and actual food weight. The contract should define net weight, whether surface ice or ice glaze exists, weighing method, pack tolerance, and pre-shipment inspection criteria. For the factory, real price must be compared on kilograms of usable raw material, not carton price alone.

9. Packaging and cold chain for the Thailand route

Frozen chicken feet are highly sensitive to cold-chain breaks. Even if product is heat-treated at destination, unintended thaw in transit can affect texture, appearance, microbial load, and shelf life.

In frozen poultry trade, product is usually held at -18°C or below. Exact shipment criteria must appear in contract specifications, buyer requirements, and official entry conditions.

Wholesale pack structure

Factory orders usually require packaging that:

• Prevents secondary contamination;
• Prevents direct product contact with carton;
• Withstands cold storage;
• Resists moisture;
• Maintains carton shape on pallet or in container;
• Allows batch identification;
• Facilitates counting and inventory control.

A common structure is a food-contact inner bag and a robust master carton. Pack weight should follow factory preference, not be copied blindly from another market.

Carton information

For industrial shipments, operational carton information usually includes:

• Product name;
• Processing status;
• Net weight;
• Production date;
• Batch number;
• Storage conditions;
• Country of origin;
• Manufacturing plant details;
• Plant approval number, if applicable;
• Information required by importer and destination authority;
• Handling and storage symbols.

If product enters as consumer pack, Thailand food labelling rules must be reviewed separately. Labelling rules for some processed foods in Thailand were also updated in 2025.

Container stowage

Cartons should not be stacked only to maximise container cube. Proper cold-air circulation in a reefer matters. Common errors include:

• Blocking air paths;
• Loading product not yet at target temperature;
• Leaving container doors open too long during loading;
• Using wet or damaged cartons;
• Not recording product temperature at loading;
• Mismatch between actual seal number and documents.

A reefer container is not designed to freeze warm product. Goods must reach agreed temperature in cold store before loading.

Temperature recording

For a shipment of meaningful commercial value, temperature data loggers can greatly reduce later disputes. Without temperature records, it is difficult to determine whether a problem occurred at origin cold store, inland haulage, port, vessel, or with the importer.

10. Logistics route from Iran to Thailand

For frozen chicken feet at industrial volume, containerised ocean freight is usually the more economic option. Air freight is mainly for samples, limited orders, or cases where time value is extremely high.

Ocean freight

A practical route may run from southern Iranian ports through a main regional hub to Thailand. Route choice depends on liner service, reefer acceptance, origin operational limits, and transshipment schedule.

When comparing freight offers, base freight alone is not enough.

Choosing delivery terms

In a first transaction, delivery at origin port or to destination port each has advantages and limits. If the seller lacks experience booking reefer space to Thailand, it should not accept complex logistics responsibility merely to make the offer look attractive. Some large buyers prefer to manage shipping under their own liner contracts. Delivery terms should be stated in the contract together with a specific Incoterms version.

11. How Thai factory demand for chicken feet is shaped

“Factory demand” must not be confused with general market consumption. A factory buys against production schedule and line yield.

The value of chicken feet to a factory depends on what percentage of purchased weight, after defrost, inspection, trim, and cooking, becomes saleable product. Two shipments at the same price per tonne can therefore have very different real cost.

What an industrial buyer calculates

A procurement or production manager usually reviews:

• Delivered price per kilogram;
• Percentage of usable pieces;
• Trim required;
• Defrost time;
• Labour for preparation;
• Size uniformity;
• Weight loss after processing;
• Quality rejection rate;
• Batch-to-batch consistency;
• Ability to deliver on schedule.

A seller offering only a low price is not necessarily the cheaper supplier.

Factory decision example

Suppose product A is cheaper but has more broken toes and highly irregular size. The factory spends more labour on sorting and waste removal. Product B may have a higher purchase price but enters the line directly. For mass production, product B can create lower final cost. This is where repeatable technical specifications become an export advantage.

12. How to distinguish a real factory buyer from a non-serious intermediary

The poultry by-product market receives many inquiries that never become real transactions. Some requests exist only to collect prices.

A professional buyer usually asks about:

• Plant veterinary approval;
• Country of origin and abattoir;
• Exact processing form;
• Size and grading;
• Monthly capacity;
• Test results;
• Freezing form;
• Carton weight;
• Container loading;
• Export track record;
• Health certificate;
• Sample availability;
• Payment terms;
• Loading port.

If negotiation revolves only around “What is the best price?” and the buyer will not define required specifications, there is not yet enough basis for accurate pricing.

Questions the seller should ask the factory

Before issuing a proforma invoice, clarify:

1. What process will the product feed?
2. Do you want raw frozen or heat-treated product?
3. Full nails or tip-trimmed?
4. What grading method applies?
5. Block frozen or individually frozen?
6. What is the pack weight?
7. What tests are required?
8. Must the origin plant be on a specific approved list?
9. Which destination port?
10. What is trial order and monthly plan?
11. Seller brand or private label?
12. Which Incoterm applies?

These questions identify a serious buyer faster than sending a generic catalogue.

13. Export pricing for the Thailand market

Chicken-feet price cannot be set from one fixed global rate. It is a slaughter by-product, and supply depends on chicken slaughter volume, domestic part markets, Asian demand, and requested standard.

Main pricing factors

Real price for the buyer

Professional comparison must be based on “delivered cost to factory”. That cost may include:

If Iranian product is competitive ex-works but has higher entry cost or tariff than suppliers with trade preferences, the initial advantage may disappear. Before offering discount, understand the competitor’s cost structure.

14. Competing with regional suppliers

Because Thailand participates in a wide network of Asian trade agreements, many regional origins face a different tariff structure. An Iranian exporter cannot compete on product price alone.

Iran’s logical competitive path is not always to offer the lowest headline price. A defensible advantage can combine appropriate trim, uniform size, true net weight, custom packaging, and regular supply contract.

15. Pre-loading inspection

Pre-loading inspection must go beyond confirming that goods exist.

A practical checklist can include:

• Plant name matches permit documents;
• Batch number match;
• Production date check;
• Random carton weight control;
• Product appearance review;
• Grading check;
• Defect count under sampling plan;
• Test results matched to batch;
• Product temperature measurement;
• Inner bag integrity;
• Carton strength;
• Carton count;
• Container cleanliness;
• Container pre-cooling if agreed;
• Container number recorded;
• Seal number recorded;
• Loading photos recorded;
• Temperature logger activated if agreed.

If third-party inspection is part of the contract, acceptance criteria must be defined before production. The phrase “standard international inspection” alone is not enough.

16. Importer checklist before placing an order

A Thai importer should finalise the following before issuing a purchase order:

1. Exact product definition;
2. Whether raw, blanched, or cooked;
3. Tariff code confirmed from actual product form;
4. Whether origin is permitted for the intended product;
5. Whether manufacturing plant is approved by veterinary authority;
6. Official health-certificate conditions received;
7. DLD import permit reviewed;
8. Thai FDA requirements reviewed;
9. Size and grading defined;
10. Bruising, breakage, and appearance-defect criteria set;
11. Nail status and trim defined;
12. Actual production sample received;
13. Agreed tests performed or reviewed;
14. Net pack weight defined;
15. Freezing form defined;
16. Carton and label specifications defined;
17. Transport temperature defined;
18. Loading schedule defined;
19. Full import cost and tariff reviewed;
20. Destination port defined;
21. Incoterm defined;
22. Payment method defined;
23. Rejection or claim conditions defined;
24. Pre-loading inspection method defined;
25. Contract text aligned with import permits.

The purpose of this checklist is to reduce dispute after arrival. For frozen animal products, correcting error after the vessel sails is far more expensive than correcting specifications before production.

17. What information should be sent to receive an accurate price?

A professional chicken-feet price request should not consist of “price per tonne” alone.

The buyer should ideally provide:

• Raw, frozen, blanched, or cooked chicken feet;
• Nail status;
• Trim method;
• Size range or grading method;
• Defect criteria;
• Freezing form;
• Weight per pack;
• Inner bag type;
• Master carton weight;
• Trial order volume;
• Probable monthly volume;
• Required tests;
• Destination veterinary requirements;
• Manufacturer brand or private label;
• Destination port in Thailand;
• Delivery terms;
• Target timeline.

18. Main transaction risks and how to reduce them

19. Supply path for processed chicken feet from Iran

In international chicken-feet purchasing, the difference between two offers is not only price per tonne. Nail status, trim level, size, defect percentage, freezing method, net weight, packaging, and ability to issue veterinary documents can all change the outcome.

For the Thailand market, one further step is added: before ordering, the buyer must confirm whether the product from the intended origin and plant can enter under Thai veterinary and food authorities.

Iranco (iranco.com) can be used to submit purchase requests based on real product specifications. The buyer can include processing form, size, packaging, order volume, destination country, destination port, and quality criteria so available supply options are reviewed on the same basis.

For a trial order, technical specifications and sample feasibility should be defined first. After sample approval, production capacity, plant documents, loading plan, and commercial terms can enter negotiation.

To review supply of frozen or processed chicken feet from Iran, product specifications, approximate order volume, required packaging, and Thailand destination should be stated precisely from the outset.

Conclusion

Exporting processed chicken feet to Thailand should not be treated as a simple frozen-goods transaction. Thailand has a strong, export-oriented poultry industry; import therefore makes sense only when foreign product solves a specific factory, trader, or processing-chain need.

The first decision criterion is not price. First define how the chicken feet were processed, under which tariff code they fall, and whether origin and plant can obtain entry approval from Thailand’s Department of Livestock Development. Only then should tariff and full delivered cost be calculated.

For raw frozen product, line 02071499 is one of the most important classifications to review; but heat processing or conversion into ready-to-eat food can change classification. The Thai importer must also comply with food-licence structure in addition to veterinary control.

At factory level, uniformity matters more than terms such as “Grade 1”. Size, nail status, breakage, bruising, net weight, freezing form, test results, and traceability should be defined before contract. For an Iranian exporter, the most attractive deal is not necessarily the highest nominal price. A stable deal appears when legal market access, tariff cost, repeatable quality, reefer logistics, and supply planning are seen together from the start in one commercial model.

Frequently asked questions