Affected by avian influenza in Europe, HPAI has brought devastating blows to birds in many places of the world, and has also strained poultry meat supplies.

 HPAI had a significant impact on turkey production in 2022 according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. USDA forecasts that turkey production is 450.6 million pounds in August 2022, 16% lower than in July and 9.4% lower than the same month in 2021.

 Helga Whedon, general manager of the Manitoba Turkey Producers Industry Group, said that HPAI has affected the turkey industry across Canada, which means stores will have less supply of fresh turkeys than usual during Thanksgiving, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

 France is the largest egg producer in the European Union. The French Egg Industry Group (CNPO) said that global egg production reached $1.5 billion in 2021 and is expected to fall for the first time in 2022 as egg production declines in multiple countries, Reuters reported.

 ”We are in a situation that has never been seen before,” said CNPO vice-president Loy Coulombert. “In past crises, we used to turn to import, especially from the United States, but this year it is bad everywhere.”

 The chairman of the PEBA, Gregorio Santiago, also warned recently that eggs could be in short supply due to the global outbreak of avian influenza.

 ”When there is a global outbreak of avian influenza, it is difficult for us to procure breeding chickens,” Santiago said in a radio interview, citing Spain and Belgium, both countries affected by avian influenza, for the Philippines’ supply of broiler chickens and eggs.

Affected by bird influenza, egg prices are higher than before.

 Inflation and higher feed costs have pushed up global poultry and egg prices. HPAI has led to the culling of tens of millions of birds in many places of the world, exacerbating the trend of tight supply and further pushing up the price of poultry meat and eggs.

 The retail price of fresh boneless, skinless turkey breast hit an all-time high of $6.70 per pound in September, up 112% from $3.16 per pound in the same month of 2021, due to avian influenza and inflation, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.

 Bloomberg reported that CEO John Brenguire of Egg Innovations, which is one of the nation’s cage-free egg producers, said that wholesale egg prices were $3.62 per dozen as of Sept. 21. The price is highest among all-time record.

 ”We’ve seen record prices for turkeys and eggs,” said American Farm Bureau Federation economist, Berndt Nelson. “That does come from some disruptions on the supply because avian influenza came up in the spring and gave us some trouble, and now it’s starting to come back in the fall.”