Turkey's Seker Pilic aims to export poultry to Austria and UK

Turkish poultry producer Seker Pilic plans to start exporting poultry to Austria and the UK in 2010.

Seker Pilic general manager Cavit Ayvaz said the company's main export destinations are Iraq and Germany.

The company's export volume had more than quadrupled year-on-year during the first three quarters of this year, due to growth in the Iraqi and German markets. By the end of the year, Seker Pilic's export volume is expected to reach US$7 million.

Seker Pilic is currently in discussions with a number of firms in countries that have a notable Turkish population, such as the UK, France and Austria, about exporting poultry products there, said Ayvaz.

Deputy general manaer Emre Bor said the EU's decision to allow poultry meat imports from Seker Pilic earlier this year opens a new business dimension for the company, and hopefully the EU will soon allow raw poultry imports.

Seker Pilic currently holds six percent of the Turkish poultry market share. Ayvaz estimated this would reach eight percent next year, largely due to the overall growth in white meat consumption.

White meat is healthy and it is relatively cheaper than red meat, said Ayvaz.