Central Food Hall and Marketplace by TOPS stores will be the first shopping outlets in Thailand to resume the sales of US beef, following the lifting of the ban on imports.

To help publicise the availability of US beef in the Thai market, from now Central Food Hall, Childlom will stage a live cooking demonstration with free samples to visitors.

US beef will be available exclusively at Central Food Hall, Childlom and Marketplace by TOPS ? Thonglor, Bangna, Sukhumvit 19 and Phuket Festival branches.

The resumption of sales of fine quality US beef in Thailand is good news for everyone,? says Mr Ian Pye, President of Central Food Retail Co., Ltd. ?We are working with suppliers now to ensure that we have enough to meet demand, which is expected to be very heavy.?

Lifting of the import ban on US beef had been announced on February 15 by the Office of Agricultural Affairs of the US Embassy, who said that boneless beef would now be allowed into Thailand.

Thailand represents a growing market for US beef. American agricultural exports to Thailand have increased 67 percent since 1999, from $409 million to a record $685 million in 2004, making it the 17th largest market for US farmers and ranchers.