Turkish poultry exports to Russia resume

Turkish companies have delivered the first export of poultry to Russia following the lifting of a ban.

Russia’s veterinary authority, Rosselkhoznadzor lifted the ban on poultry imports from Turkey on February 1. The ban was is in effect since October 2005.

Turkey’s Banvit and the Calkan Group, some of Russia’s biggest meat providers, have sold 20 tonnes of chicken in a highly competitive market.

Calkan Group Chairman Mustafa Calkan said Russia gave Turkey a quota of 50-60 tonnes as part of a group of exporter countries with a total of a quota of 150 thousand tonnes.

Turkish companies fell behind their foreign rivals in Russia in terms of competitive power due to their high production costs, according to Calkan.

“The current price is around 2000 USD per tonne yet the costs of Turkish companies totals as high as 2,800 USD per tonne,” Calkan said.