A total of 7 companies, which have 70% market share in Turkey, can export poultry products processed at more than 70°C to EU countries from March 29, 2009.According to USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, 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 chicken meat and 33,000 mt of turkey meat were produced.
There are also about 12,650 broiler and 2,800 egg poultry houses, with over 500,000 people employed in the sector, including farmers, traders, producers, transportation, feed, medicine, related industry and marketing.
As regards the 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.
Annual turnover of the sector is about US $3 bln. The poultry meat production capacity of Turkey is of 1,400,000 mt annually. The capacity utilisation rate at the slaughterhouses and breeding poultry houses is approximately 80%.
