The Turkish poultry sector has grown enormously, reaching a production level of 1,203,000 MT in 2008 compared to 752,000 MT in 2000 and 217,000 MT in 1990. In 2008, 1,170,000 MT of chic ken meat and 33,000 MT of turkey meat was produced.

There are approximately 12,650 broiler and 2,800 egg poultry houses. Over 500,000 people are employed in the sector, including producers, farmers, traders, feed, medicine, related industry, transportation and marketing, and some 2 million people rely on it to make a living. Annual turnover of the sector is about US $3 billion.

The poultry meat production capacity of Turkey (based on double shifts) is 4,500 MT per day, and 1,400,000 MT annually. The capacity utilization rate at the slaughter houses and breeding poultry houses is approximately 80 per cent.

In September 2003 a technical mission from the EU inspected six slaughter houses in Turkey and issued a report that Turkey could be admitted to the list of third countries authorized to export fresh poultry meat to the EU.

On 24 January 2005, another technical mission went to Turkey and inspected the application of “Residue Monitoring Plan” submitted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs to the EU. The mission’s April 2005 report stated that “ A framework for residue controls generally in line with EU requirements is now in place .”

The Standing Committee Food Chain and Animal Health consisting in January, 2006, issued a decision regarding “milk and milk products” and “poultry meat and products” that “Turkey could be admitted to the list of third countries whose residue monitoring plans had been accepted.” The decision entered into force but was suspended due to the Avian Influenza outbreak in Turkey in October 2005

Subsequently the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) made an application for imports of poultry meat subject to heat treatment, and in April 2007 an FVO mission inspected slaughter houses, processing departments, laboratories and Avian Influenza control measures. The mission report indicated that the inspected facilities for the most part met EU norms and that MARA guarantees could be sufficient to overcome any deficiencies.

After the final report of the FVO mission was submitted to SANCO, the list of Turkish companies whose products could be imported into the EU and the relevant health certificate information was published on the SANCO web page on 16 March 2009.

By this decision, the companies (please see link below), which have 70 per cent market share in Turkey, can export poultry products processed at more than 70 0C to EU countries from 29 March 2009.

As for highly processed poultry products, Turkey is estimated to have exported 298 MT of processed poultry products in 2008, mainly to the Middle East Countries. Exports of processed products have been declining, from 1,897 MT in 2006 to 618 MT in 2007, because of reduced purchases by China, previously the top customer.

The poultry industry association believe that approval for poultry exports to EU, even if only for processed products, is a great boost to the reputation of their companies. They anticipate exporting not only to the EU but also more to the Middle East and Former Soviet Union countries. The association forecasts exports of 4,000 MT of processed poultry products in CY 2009 and 15,000 MT in CY 2010.

Further Reading

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