<p> </p>
Charoen Pokphand Foods Plc (CP Foods), Thailand's largest food exporter, made news this year for its aggressive acquisitions in China and Vietnam, leading to an impressive balance sheet in the third quarter of 2012.

However, the numbers belie that the company's core operations suffered in Thailand and overseas, in a year marked by shrimp mortality in Vietnam due to early mortality syndrome (EMS), and high raw material prices for feed, in part aggravated by the drought across the United States.

"Overall, the aquaculture sector has been a little softer than last year," a company spokesperson told IntraFish.

"We