July 14, 2010

Turkish poultry exports rise 30%

Poultry exports from Turkey increased 30% more in Jan-June 2010 over the same period as last year, exceeding US$86 million, according to Poultry Meat Producers and Poulterers Association (BESD-BÄ°R) data. 

Since 2007, Turkey's poultry exports have been on a constant rise following a temporary slowdown due to an avian flu scare in 2005. Turkish poultry exports were up from US$28.19 million in 2006 to US$44.41 million in 2007. This figure soared to US$87.27 million in 2008, before skyrocketing to US$152.59 million last year.

This uptrend continued in the first six months of this year as well, with a 30% increase on-year to US$86.85 million over US$66.67 million in the same period of last year. Chicken meat makes up the majority of Turkish poultry exports. The first half of the year saw exports of chicken meat rising by 22% over the same period of 2009, reaching US$67.8 million.

The main reason for the sector's upsurge in 2008 is the Iraqi market as it buys more than half of Turkish poultry exports. In the first half of 2010, Iraq paid US$52.77 million for poultry from Turkey, up from US$40.79 million a year before. This was followed by Azerbaijan, which purchased poultry costing US$4.72 million during this period. Other top countries importing poultry from Turkey were Tajikistan and Vietnam.

Chicken feet exports, the demand for which is strong in Far Eastern countries, also registered a heavy increase in the first half of the year, surging 73% on-year. During this period Turkey sold US$18.32 million in chicken feet to Vietnam, Hong Kong, China and Thailand. Among them, Vietnam ranked first, paying US$12.71 million for purchases of chicken feet.