Turkey to export 15,000 tonnes of eggs to US amid bird flu disruptions

By Ceyda Caglayan

ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkey has begun exporting round 15,000 tonnes of eggs to the USA, the place an ongoing outbreak of chicken flu disrupted provide, despatched costs hovering and led to talks with different producers, a number one sector official stated on Wednesday.

Ibrahim Afyon, chairman of the Egg Producers Central Union (YUM-BIR) in Turkey, informed Reuters that shipments started this month and can proceed till July.

“The export will happen by way of our member corporations with the required authorizations, whereas two corporations will coordinate the method,” Afyon stated.

“A complete of 15,000 tonnes of eggs — equal to 700 containers — can be shipped.”

The U.S. has been working to include the unfold of chicken flu, which was first detected in dairy cattle in Texas final March and has since unfold to a number of states. The virus has contaminated practically 70 folks since April, together with one deadly case, primarily amongst farm staff uncovered to contaminated poultry or cattle.

An outbreak in poultry that started in 2022 has worn out about 160 million chickens, turkeys and different birds, contributing to egg shortages.

In response, the U.S. Division of Agriculture (USDA) has granted conditional approval to animal well being firm Zoetis for the usage of a chicken flu vaccine in poultry.

The company can also be rebuilding a stockpile of vaccines tailor-made to the present pressure affecting industrial flocks and wild birds.

Confronted with provide constraints, U.S. corporations have sought different import markets, resulting in negotiations with Turkish producers, Afyon stated.

He stated the deal is predicted to generate round $26 million in export income.

Turkey ranks among the many world’s prime 10 egg exporters, Afyon added.

(Reporting by Ceyda Caglayan, Writing by Ece Toksabay; Enhancing by Jonathan Spicer, Alexandra Hudson)