July 13, 2010

Turkish white meat exports reach US$86 million

White meat exports from Turkey went up by 30% in the first six months of this year as compared with the previous year.

Since 2007, Turkish white meat exports constantly increased after a slowdown on account of bird flu cases between late 2005 and early 2007. The value is amounting to US$28.1 million in 2006; US$44.4 million in 2007; US$87.2 million in 2008; and US$152.5 million in 2009.

The majority of Turkish white meat exports consist of chicken meat. The exports of chicken meat increased by 22% in the first half of 2010 when compared to the same term last year and reached a value of US$67.8 million.

Turkey's biggest buyers of white meat were Iraq, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Vietnam. In the first six months of this year, Turkey earned US$52.7 million revenue from the exports of white meat to Iraq alone.

In comparison to chicken meat, turkey meat exports from the country dropped significantly, of which is only worth US$339,000 in the first half of 2010, down from US$769,000 in the same period as last year.