Turkish authorities move to prevent price hike in egg prices

ANKARA

In response to rising egg demand from international markets, particularly the United States, Turkish authorities have introduced regulatory measures to stabilize domestic prices.

A recent avian flu outbreak in the U.S. has disrupted supply chains, driving up egg prices and increasing the country’s reliance on imports.

To prevent price surges in Türkiye, the government has imposed a levy of $0.50 per kilogram on table egg exports under the Support and Price Stability Fund (DFIF), as announced in the Official Gazette.

As part of its efforts to meet growing demand, Türkiye is set to export 15,000 tons of eggs to the U.S. by June.

Data compiled from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) indicates that Türkiye produced over 100 billion eggs between 2020 and 2024. Annual production figures show fluctuations, with 19.8 billion eggs produced in both 2020 and 2022, 19.3 billion in 2021, 20.6 billion in 2023 and a record 21.2 billion in 2024.

Meanwhile, trade in non-incubation chicken eggs has followed an inconsistent pattern, with total exports exceeding $1 billion over the past five years. Key markets include the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the top importer of Turkish eggs.

Ibrahim Afyon, head of the Egg Producers Central Union (YUM-BİR), emphasized that the recent export levy aims to prevent any unnecessary price hikes in the domestic market. “With rising demand from the U.S. and Europe, we implemented this measure to stabilize local prices. There is no supply shortage — our production is increasing. Egg rpices are often dictated by market perception rather than actual supply constraints,” Afyon stated.

Addressing concerns over potential price hikes during Ramadan, Afyon reassured consumers that there is no reason for price inflation. “Our domestic supply remains strong, with a self-sufficiency rate of nearly 120 percent, which can be increased to 135 percent if needed,” he concluded.