Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Butcher warns turkey will come at a cost this year
ONE of the West’s top butchers has warned that it is becoming increasingly clear that British turkey is going to be a rare and expensive treat this Christmas.
It might be nearly five months until the big day, but Somerset butcher Malcolm Pyne says that there will almost certainly be a shortage of the festive favourite this year.
Turkey farmers are facing the perfect storm of rapidly increasing production costs and avian flu hitting poultry breeding stocks.
Free range turkeys can spend more than six months on the farm, so farmers have already had to calculate how many they would rear for Christmas.
And many farmers have reportedly reduced the number they will be selling this winter.
Around 10 million turkeys are eaten in the UK every Christmas but experts say that figure looks unattainable this year.
Mr Pyne, who runs a busy butchers shop at North Petherton in Somerset, said: “There will be some turkeys around but it’s clear the price is going to be sky-high – which is the last thing people need
to hear at the moment when the cost of everything is going up.”
“Apart from the avian flu problem, we know British producers have been forced to cut back because their overheads are now so enormous.
“Some of them will be turning out only 50 per cent or maybe even 20 per cent of what they would normally.
“Those of us who sell British birds can already see what’s ahead because the message is coming through loud and clear from our suppliers. I think this is the year when we will see turkey move up into the luxury food bracket and I can foresee a lot of people deciding that what money they have available will be better spent on something more affordable.”
Last month Michael Bailey, turkey group chairman at the NFU, told the BBC: “There is definitely going to be a reduced production of turkeys for Christmas.
“I know of several, smaller turkey farmers who are not going to do turkeys this year. There’s other larger producers who have decided to cut back – some by 50 per cent, some 20 per cent, to reduce the risk.”