Mexico: Turkey is not just for Christmas

The challenge for Mexico’s National Union of Poultry Farmers in 2014, is to increase consumption of turkey meat, promoting a demand that is not only for Christmas but all year round.

Mexico’s National Union of Poultry Farmers (UNA- Spanish acronym) reported that during this Christmas season, 2.8 million turkeys were available in the market, of which 1,147,000 are produced in Mexico, and 1,653,000 imported, mainly from the United States.

Mexico’s turkey meat production rose from 7,000 tonnes in 1994 to 9,000 tonnes in 2012, an increase of 17%.

This year, 2013, the national turkey production increased by 2%, with production levels of 9,180 tonnes, equivalent to 1,147,000 whole turkeys.

In terms of consumption, the whole turkey represents 75% of national consumption and the remaining 25% is consumed in parts and now with added value.

According to poultry producers in Mexico, 90% of turkey consumption occurs during the Christmas season and, of that percentage, 60% is sold natural and the rest smoked.

In Mexico, turkey meat consumption per capita reaches 1.5 kilos annually, which is still very low. However, producers expect that by the second half of 2014, consumption will increase and there will be a greater supply in major supermarkets with a variety of cuts and presentations.

In 2013, the Mexican poultry producers of turkeys generated 20,580 jobs.

Mexican turkey production is distributed as follows: Chihuahua 24%, Yucatán, 21%, Estado de Mexico, 11%; Puebla, 11%, Tabasco, 6%; Guerrero 5%; Veracruz 5%, Hidalgo, 5% and other states as a whole, 12%.