April 20, 2009

Turkey's poultry exports in the first quarter of 2009 rose 254 percent on-year, giving hopes to producers that they could stay afloat amid the world economic slowdown.

Chicken exports rose 204 percent to US$26.2 million, while turkey exports surged 371 percent to US$498,000.

Iraq was the largest importer, accounting for US$19 million of Turkish poultry, up 16.6 percent on-year. Tajikistan imported US$1.7 million worth of Turkish poultry, Azerbaijan at US$1.7 million, Vietnam at US$1.1 million and Congo at US$551,000.

Shipments to the Far East, however, declined seven percent to US$5.8 million.

The increase was largely due to demand from Iraq, who used to import poultry from Brazil until recently because of delivery issues, said Yuce Canoler, Secretary-General of Poultry Meat Producers and Breeders Association.

Canoler said Turkey's proximity with Iraq has also given the country an advantage over Brazil.

Canoler said they are planning to gain access to other Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and the Iraqi market could be a door leading to the Arab world. He said the Arab countries have a large potential for poultry imports and Turkey as a Muslim country has an advantage as Arab markets buy only halal meat.

France, Romania and the Netherlands have recently approved seven Turkish facilities to which inspectors had been sent to, said Canoler. He said they would also like to export poultry to Russia as soon as possible, and are looking forward to a Russian commission going to inspect 12 facilities in Turkey.