Turkey has started shipping 15,000 tons of eggs to the United States as the country deals with supply disruptions caused by a bird flu outbreak, a Turkish industry official told Reuters on Wednesday.
İbrahim Afyon, chairman of the Egg Producers Central Union (YUM-BİR), told the news agency that exports began in February and will continue until July. The shipments, equivalent to 700 containers, are being handled by authorized Turkish producers, with two companies coordinating the process, he said.
The United States has struggled with egg shortages following a bird flu outbreak that began in poultry in 2022 and has since led to the loss of about 160 million chickens, turkeys and other birds. The virus, which was detected in dairy cattle in Texas last March, has infected nearly 70 people since April, primarily farm workers exposed to infected poultry or cattle, according to Reuters.
In response the US Department of Agriculture has granted conditional approval to Zoetis for the use of a bird flu vaccine in poultry. The agency is also working to rebuild a vaccine stockpile tailored to the strain affecting commercial flocks and wild birds.
With limited supply, US buyers have turned to alternative import markets, leading to negotiations with Turkish producers, Afyon said. The deal is expected to bring in about $26 million in export revenue.
Turkey is among the world’s top 10 egg exporters, Afyon added.