UK Poultry Industry Faces Christmas Supply Crunch as Bird Flu Cases Surge
The UK’s poultry sector is bracing for a challenging Christmas season as a severe outbreak of avian influenza threatens supplies of turkeys, chickens, and ducks. Industry experts warn that the current wave of bird flu is significantly worse than last year, leading to the culling of hundreds of thousands of birds and raising concerns about availability, particularly for organic and free-range options.
Mounting Losses and Tightening Supplies
Approximately 5% of the UK’s Christmas poultry flock – an estimated 300,000 birds – has already been culled in response to the outbreak, according to recent reports. This figure represents a substantial increase in cases compared to the same period last year, though the scale of the current outbreak remains smaller than the record-breaking season of 2022/23.
“Certain producers have been very badly hit,” stated Richard Griffiths, chief executive of the British Poultry Council. “We are looking at increasing numbers of cases and it is a bad season, much worse than last year.”
The impact is expected to be most keenly felt in the supply of organic and free-range poultry, as these birds are particularly vulnerable to infection. Some producers are proactively processing birds earlier than usual in an attempt to mitigate the risk of further losses. This could result in fewer heavier birds available for the festive season.
Retail Response and Consumer Impact
Despite the challenges, major retailers are confident they will be able to meet consumer demand, leveraging existing agreements with suppliers and a willingness to absorb potential cost increases. However, smaller retailers may struggle to secure sufficient stock and could be forced to raise prices to cover higher procurement costs.
Gressingham, a major duck supplier to retailers like Waitrose, has confirmed an outbreak at one of its facilities, though the company declined to disclose the number of birds affected. Capestone Organic Poultry, a leading producer of free-range and organic birds based in west Wales, was also impacted, resulting in the culling of 48,000 turkeys at a single farm.
“We only have free-range and organic products, nothing is housed, so we are particularly vulnerable,” explained Rob Cumine, managing director of Capestone, which supplies birds to several major UK supermarkets. He described the emotional toll of the outbreak and cull, noting the deep investment in bird welfare and the sense of loss experienced by staff.
Government Measures and Ongoing Concerns
In response to the escalating situation, the UK government has implemented strict measures to control the spread of the disease. Bird keepers in England have been mandated to house flocks of more than 50 birds indoors since November 6th. This ruling extended previous restrictions already in place across northern, central, and parts of eastern England. A similar housing order came into effect in Wales on November 13th.
An avian influenza prevention zone is currently in effect across all of Great Britain, requiring stringent biosecurity protocols. Despite these efforts, new cases continue to be confirmed almost daily, including outbreaks at large-scale commercial poultry units. Approximately 50 cases have been reported since the beginning of October, with the majority occurring in England.
Sascha van Helvoort, head of outbreak delivery at the Animal and Plant Health Agency, affirmed the agency’s ongoing response efforts, stating, “We have successfully delivered disease outbreak response almost continuously over recent years, including in 2023, which was the largest outbreak of avian influenza this country has ever experienced.”
Industry officials emphasize that the next few weeks are critical as birds are slaughtered for Christmas. “Once we get to that point, we can all breathe a sigh of relief for another year,” Griffiths added. Producers are continuing to implement rigorous biosecurity measures and closely monitor their flocks in an effort to minimize further disruption to the supply chain.
