ISTANBUL / CHICAGO - Turkey has begun exporting around 15,000 tonnes of eggs to the United States as a devastating outbreak of bird flu is slashing US production and sending prices soaring, a leading sector official said on Wednesday.
Deaths of millions of laying hens imperil US President Donald Trump's pledge to bring down everyday costs, as grocery stores ration supplies and restaurants raise prices for egg dishes.
Shipments to the US from Turkey began this month and will continue until July, said Ibrahim Afyon, chairman of the Egg Producers Central Union in Turkey.
ALSO READ: WHO faces communication challenges on bird flu after US withdrawal
"The export will take place through our member companies with the required authorizations, while two firms will coordinate the process," Afyon said.
"A total of 15,000 tonnes of eggs — equivalent to 700 containers — will be shipped," he added.
The US has been working to contain bird flu, which was first detected in dairy cattle in Texas last March and has since spread to more than 970 herds in 17 states. The virus has infected nearly 70 people since April, primarily farm workers exposed to infected poultry or cattle. One person who was infected died.
READ MORE: US dairy worker infected with new virus strain of bird flu
The outbreak in poultry began in 2022 and has wiped out about 162 million chickens, turkeys and other birds, according to US data. A surge in recent infections is fuelling egg shortages.
"We support the temporary import of egg products to help ease the strain on the US egg supply," said Chad Gregory, CEO of United Egg Producers, a cooperative that represents US egg farmers.
READ MORE: USDA: Second bird flu strain found in US dairy cattle
Faced with supply constraints, US companies have sought alternative import markets, leading to negotiations with Turkish producers, Afyon said. The deal is expected to generate around $26 million in export revenue, he added.
Turkey ranks among the world's top 10 egg exporters, Afyon said.
The US Department of Agriculture had no comment on imports.
The agency is rebuilding a stockpile of bird flu vaccines for poultry and granted a conditional license to animal health company Zoetis for a vaccine for chickens. USDA has not yet authorized the use of vaccines.
