On 13 January 2025, Thailand farmers and fisher folks from 19 provinces will rally at the Charoen Pokphand (CP) building, as well as meet with the government and Parliamentary Committees in Bangkok, to demand justice for the Blackchin tilapia outbreak caused by the recklessness of Thailand’s agribusiness conglomerate.
Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF), part of Thailand’s agribusiness conglomerate Charoen Pokphand, has recently filed a libel suit against BIOTHAI over the well-founded accusation that CPF is responsible for the current spread of non-native Blackchin tilapia fish in Thailand’s watercourses.
Since 2010, when the company imported 2,000 Blackchin tilapia fish from Ghana for breeding trials to meet the demands of its expanding brackish-water industrial aquaculture, the exotic fish has spread to 19 provinces, wreaking havoc on local fisheries and coastal communities, resulting in tremendous economic losses and environmental damage. CPF has denied responsibility for the country’s most severe environmental crime, despite numerous pieces of compelling evidence against it.
Biothai and the devastated communities have launched a national campaign to pressure CPF and hold it accountable for this outbreak. In November 2024, 1,400 farmers filed a lawsuit demanding compensation from CPF for their losses. Biothai is now calling for international solidarity support for their campaign to restore the ecosystem and safeguard food sovereignty.JOIN THE GLOBAL SOLIDARITY ACTIONS on 13 and 14 January!!
Backgrounder of Blackchin tilapia outbreak in Thailand_final