December 21, 2007

Ireland's turkey to cost up to 20 percent more

Irish consumers are expected to pay 20 percent more for their fresh Christmas turkey due to rising feed costs.

Other factors affecting the surge of Christmas turkey prices are bird flu outbreak in Britain and a truckers dispute in Italy.

The rocketing grain prices were caused by world shortage of cereals from major producing countries affected with droughts. Grain costs have risen more than EUR100 (US$144) per tonne.

According to the Associated Craft Butchers of Ireland, this factor alone will lead to an increase of about EUR10 (US$14) per bird.

The bird flu outbreaks in Britain and other parts of EU has also led to the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of birds which should have been ready for Christmas.

A shortage of fresh birds in Britain which also supplies to the Irish market, has led to increased French and Italian imports.

Moreover, a weeklong truckers strike in Italy which ended only last weekend, has disrupted the trade.

Meanwhile, the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food, Trevor Sargent, advised consumers to buy organic turkeys to insist proof that they are paying for the real thing.