World meat industry news

Over the past decade, Russian turkey breeding has increased production by 5 times. This became possible due to the significantly increased demand in Russia for turkey meat, the expansion of the assortment in retail trade, the economic availability of this type of meat and the actively developing export.

According to the consulting agency Agrifood Strategies, in 2022, 415,000 tons of turkey meat were produced in Russia, as a result of which the country ranked first in Europe and second in the world in the production of this type of meat. Domestic turkey breeders produced more than traditional industry leaders in Europe - Poland (409 thousand tons), Germany (406 thousand tons), France (245 thousand tons) and Spain (232 thousand tons).

“For the first time, Russian turkey breeders have overtaken producers from Poland and Germany, who in recent years have firmly held leading positions in the European market,” Agrifood Strategies notes. The United States has traditionally been the world's largest producer, accounting for almost half of the world's turkey meat.

A multiple increase in production over 10 years has led to the dynamic development of Russian exports of turkey meat. According to Agrifood Strategies, last year its volume amounted to 26 thousand tons with a total value of $70 million. In 2022, Russia became the largest supplier of turkey meat to China, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, ahead of the USA, Poland, Chile and a number of EU countries.

Compared to 2021, Russian exports of turkey meat in physical terms increased by 17% and in monetary terms by 43%, comments Andrey Grigorashchenko, President of the National Association of Turkey Producers. “A stable trend is the growth of export value. This is due to a change in the range of sales due to more expensive products (breast fillet and thigh fillet) and a general increase in prices for turkey meat,” he explains.

According to the Federal Customs Service, China remains the leading buyer of Russian turkey meat with a share of almost 37%. The entire volume of deliveries to the Asian country fell on frozen parts of turkey carcasses and offal. Also in the top 5 buyers in 2022 were Benin (20%), the UAE (9.5%), Saudi Arabia (9.3%) and Belarus (4.3%).

Turkey exports to China and the United Arab Emirates are growing at the fastest pace - growth in these areas is at least 20%. According to Grigorashchenko, in the countries of the Middle East, consumers are attracted by the usefulness and nutritional value of this type of meat, while in the countries of the Asian region there is a significant increase in demand for the product as an alternative to chicken. “Thus, in China, there is an increase in the consumption of turkey, especially the wing, neck, liver and stomachs. And the meaty neck of the turkey began to successfully compete with the duck neck, which is very popular in China,” notes Grigorashchenko. In addition, according to him, exports from Russia of products of deep processing from turkey have begun - this is a qualitative leap, involving a shift from the export of raw materials to value-added products.

At the same time, Russian companies are striving to expand markets. Thus, in the fall of 2022, the Cherkizovo Group announced plans to start regular supplies of branded turkey meat for retail chains in Saudi Arabia. And in May 2023, the Damate group and the Malaysian company 3Bumi Trading signed a memorandum to start exporting halal products to the Asian country. In the memorandum, the parties confirmed their intention to conclude a long-term international contract for the supply of goods and develop mutually beneficial cooperation.

In 2023, Agrifood Strategies predicts a further increase in turkey production in Russia by 10%, up to 440-450 thousand tons. By 2030, the output may reach 600-650 thousand tons, which will significantly strengthen the position of domestic producers in the world market.

“Significant opportunities for increasing domestic consumption and exports exist, including due to the lower cost of production in the country,” Grigorashchenko points out. - By 2030, it is projected to increase the production of turkey meat by 200 thousand tons. The expected volume of exports is about 10% of production.”