Seasonal demand not easy for turkey breeders

By LIAM DANN

It is the season to be jolly ... except for turkeys of course.

It's an old joke, but the seasonal nature of turkey consumption is a serious matter for the poultry industry.

The reality is that coping with seasonal demand means there are very few turkey farmers in New Zealand.

By world standards New Zealand is an undeveloped market for turkey, says Poultry Industry Association director Michael Brooks.

Unsurprisingly, poultry in New Zealand is heavily dominated by chicken.

We collectively ate 77 million chickens last year.

While there has been phenomenal growth in chicken consumption over the past 20 years, a corresponding jump in turkey has not mirrored trends in the US and UK.

In fact duck production is growing faster - driven largely by the Asian food market.

American consumers gobble up vast amounts of turkey meat all year round. Since 1970, consumption there has more than doubled.

Although whole turkeys still dominate during Thanksgiving and Christmas, new products like rolled roasts and pressed turkey luncheon have spread consumption across the year. In the US, just 30 per cent of all turkey meat produced is eaten during the holiday season.

Recognition that it is a high-protein, low-fat meat has aided the dramatic rise.

There are just three New Zealand turkey producers: Tegel, Crozier's and Canter Valley. All are based in the South Island.

Turkeys grow to maturity in about 12 weeks so planning numbers for the end of the year is no easy task.

Consequently most of our turkey is sold as frozen.

New Zealanders still see turkey as a once-a-year-type product, Brooks says.

One of the issues is the size of a turkey which at up to 4.5kg is perceived as too big for a family meal. Tegel, as the biggest producer, has attempted to market other products such as smaller rolled roasts. It can also supply fresh turkeys, a market which is growing.



The variety of packaging, portions and convenience products have been one of the big factors in lifting chicken consumption.

The same formula could be applied to turkey but the industry needs to reach a critical mass before the products will be viable.

Says Brooks: "I hesitate to say it but it's a bit of chicken and egg situation."