Agriculture

Turkey meets US egg demand with increased exports

February 26, 2025, 10:59 AM

US senator Chuck Schumer pictured in New York last month speaking to the media about egg prices. Turkey exported 200,000 tonnes of eggs to 55 countries in 2024

US poultry hit by avian flu
15,000 tonnes to be shipped
Gulf region was top market

Turkish producers are redirecting egg exports to the US in response to an outbreak of avian flu which is crippling the US poultry sector.

The increased US sales could mean Gulf countries will shell out more for their breakfast staple.

The Turkish government has given egg producers approval to increase US sales, with the packaged products to be exported by ship in refrigerated containers, İbrahim Afyon, the president of YUM-BİR, (the Egg Producers’ Central Association), told AGBI.

“Currently, the 15,000 tonnes of eggs requested by the US will be shared among four companies, although the number of firms that want to export may increase,” he said.

Around 150 million US fowl have been destroyed in an attempt to rein in the avian flu outbreak. New cases of the H5N1 strain of the virus continue to be reported, along with cross-over infections into dairy cattle and humans. At least 70 people have been infected and one person has died.

While the cull may slow the spread of the disease, it has also resulted in a shortage of eggs on the US market, driving up prices by as much as 95 percent year on year. Turkey is poised to take advantage of the gap that has been created.

Last year Turkey exported 200,000 tonnes of eggs to 55 countries, generating $460 million in revenue, a figure Afyon says will increase to $500 million this year, in part thanks to demand in the US market.

However, US gain could be Gulf states’ pain, despite having long been Turkey’s leading destination for egg exports, Afyon said.

“Gulf countries were our top market, but with the growing demand from the US we are prioritising that market and meeting their demand,” he said.

Questions were raised in the Turkish media following the announcement of the export deal as to whether the US shipments will cause shortages in the domestic market – Ramadan is approaching, when demand traditionally spikes thanks to the cooking of fast-breaking meals and rich desserts.

Afyon rejected the claims there could be a domestic shortage or price increases, saying Turkish egg producers had surplus capacity of up to 15 percent, meaning the sector can cover export demand and local requirements.