Turkiye has begun exporting around 15,000 tonnes of eggs to the United States as a devastating outbreak of bird flu continues to slash U.S. production and drive prices higher, a leading sector official said on Wednesday.
The deaths of millions of laying hens are threatening U.S. President Donald Trump’s pledge to bring down everyday costs, as grocery stores ration supplies and restaurants raise prices for egg dishes.
Shipments to the U.S. from Turkiye began this month and will continue until July, according to Ibrahim Afyon, chairman of the Egg Producers Central Union in Turkiye. “The export will take place through our member companies with the required authorizations, while two firms will coordinate the process,” Afyon said. “A total of 15,000 tonnes of eggs equivalent to 700 containers will be shipped,” he added.
The U.S. has been working to contain bird flu, which was first detected in dairy cattle in Texas last March and has since spread to more than 970 herds in 17 states. The virus has infected nearly 70 people since April, primarily farm workers exposed to infected poultry or cattle. One infected person has died.
The outbreak in poultry, which began in 2022, has wiped out approximately 162 million chickens, Turkiyes, and other birds, according to U.S. data. A surge in recent infections has worsened egg shortages.
“We support the temporary import of egg products to help ease the strain on the U.S. egg supply,” said Chad Gregory, CEO of United Egg Producers, a cooperative that represents U.S. egg farmers.
Faced with supply constraints, U.S. companies have sought alternative import markets, leading to negotiations with Turkish producers, Afyon said. The deal is expected to generate around $26 million in export revenue.
Turkiye ranks among the world’s top 10 egg exporters, Afyon added.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has not commented on the imports.However, the agency is working on rebuilding a stockpile of bird flu vaccines for poultry and has granted a conditional license to animal health company Zoetis for a chicken vaccine. The USDA has not yet authorized the use of vaccines.
Source: reuters