Summary: On October 6, 2005, an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus type A, subtype H5N1, was confirmed on an open-air farm in Kiziksa, Manyas, Balikesir province in western Turkey.  Officials are testing all birds within a 7 kilometer (4.4 miles) radius around the affected farm.

In 2004, Turkey’s poultry stocks totaled 255 million chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys.  Chickens comprised the majority of Turkey’s poultry stocks followed by turkeys, geese and ducks.  Turkey produced about 5.7 million metric tons of eggs in 2004.  As a share of the world’s total production, Turkey produced 9% of egg production and 1.4% of chicken meat productions.  Turkey’s poultry and poultry products exports amounted to 3.4 million live chickens valued at $1.9 million dollars.  Turkey’s share of world live chicken exports value was 0.22%.  By quantity in 2003, the largest importer of live poultry from Turkey was Romania (35%), Georgia (25%) and Azerbaijan (22%).

The US did not import any poultry, poultry products or birds from Turkey between January 2003 and July 2005.  Neither Canada nor Mexico imported any poultry, poultry products or birds for the same time-period.

How extensive is highly pathogenic avian influenza in Turkey, and what was Turkey’s disease status prior to the outbreak?

On October 6, 2005, an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus type A, subtype H5N1, was confirmed on an open-air turkey farm in Kiziksa, Manyas, Balikesir province in western Turkey.  The outbreak was first detected on October 1, 2005.  The pathogenicity was identified on October 13, 2005.  Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) had previously never been reported in Turkey.

Birds are being tested in a 3 kilometer (1.9 miles) quarantine zone around the index turkey farm.  There are 18 villages in the quarantine zone.  Turkey officials are also checking 550,000 more birds on farms within a 7 kilometer (4.4 miles) radius surveillance zone outside the quarantined area.  Additional control measures include stamping out and disinfection of infected premises/establishment. 

Source: OIE Disease Information Report

What is Turkey’s place in the international market for poultry and poultry products?

In 2004, Turkey’s poultry stocks totaled 255 million chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys amounting to 1.4% of world stocks (Table 1).  Chickens, totaling 250 million head in 2004, comprised the majority of Turkey’s poultry stocks, followed by turkeys, geese, and ducks.  Turkey produced about 5.7 million metric tons of eggs in 2004.  As a share of the world’s total production, Turkey produced 9% of egg production and 1.4% of chicken meat production.

Table 1: Poultry stocks and production, Turkey, 2003 and 2004

	2003	2004
	Stocks (1,000 head)	Stocks (1,000 head)	% of World Stocks
Chickens	245,776	250,000	1.5%
Ducks	832	800	<0.1%
Geese	1,400	1,400	0.5%
Turkeys	3,300	3,300	1.2%
Total	251,308	255,500	1.4%
	Production (metric tons)	Production (metric tons)	% of World Production
Chicken Meat	872,392	940,000	1.4%
Duck Meat	949	910	<0.1%
Turkey Meat	10,200	10,200	0.2%
Eggs	5,539,511	5,718,975	9.0%

During 2003, Turkey exported 3.4 million live chickens valued at $1.9 million dollars (Table 2).  By quantity, the live chicken exports were about 0.5% of world live chicken exports; however, by value, Turkey’s share of world live chicken exports was 0.2%.  By quantity in 2003, the largest importer of live poultry from Turkey was Romania (35%), Georgia (25%) and Azerbaijan (22%).  Turkey also exported poultry fat, canned chicken, turkey meat, and offal chicken livers products.  Turkey exported about 7.5 metric tons of hen eggs valued at over $10 million.  In 2003, the largest importer of eggs from Turkey was Georgia (31%) and Iraq (19%), by quantity.  Turkey’s largest poultry product export in 2003 was chicken meat (24,193 metric tons) amounting to 0.2% of the world’s total value.

Table 2:  Exports of live poultry and poultry products, Turkey, 2002 - 2003

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: United Nations FAO

What are the US imports of poultry or poultry products from Turkey?

The US did not import any poultry, poultry products or birds from

Turkey between January 2003 and July 2005.

Source: World Trade Atlas; VS Import Tracking System

What are Canada and Mexico’s imports of poultry or poultry products from Turkey?

Neither Canada nor Mexico imported any poultry, poultry products or birds from Turkey between January 2003 and July 2005.

Source: World Trade Atlas

What is the level of passenger traffic arriving in the United States from Turkey?

In 2004, 76,404 Turkey residents arrived on flights to the US.  As part of APHIS-PPQ’s agriculture quarantine inspection monitoring, 1,560 air passengers from Turkey were sampled for items of agricultural interest in fiscal year 2004.  No passengers were found to be carrying poultry items of interest.

Source: Office of Travel & Tourism Industries, US Department of Commerce, USDA APHIS-PPQ Agricultural Quarantine Inspection databases, Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

CEI’s plans for follow up:

If you need more information or if you want to comment on this worksheet, you may reply to this message, or contact Elizabeth Williams at (970) 494-7329 or Kamina Johnson at (970) 494-7340.