It's time to support the threatened British turkey industry

The festive season has arrived — so what better time to talk turkey? Britain’s poultry farmers work year round to source, order, raise and finish turkeys for the table, but it will come as no surprise to hear that Christmas is the peak period for the industry.

- COLUMN Adam Henson

If this year follows the usual trend, nine million turkeys will be eaten in the UK on Christmas Day - yet there are serious concerns about the shrinking market for what’s long been considered our festive favourite. The industry claims that there’s been a 79% drop in UK turkey production since the mid-1990s, when more than 46 million birds were reared each year. There are also fears about a decline in the number of turkey farmers, post-Brexit hurdles in exporting live poults (or turkey chicks) and a rise in imports of turkey meat from the continent. But, despite the worries, all is not lost.

The trade in home-grown turkeys could still be worth well over £400 million this year. Though the cost of living and supermarket price rises concern many shoppers, it’s worth noting that, on the whole, protein-rich turkey is cheaper than beef, leaner than many red meats and has fewer calories than chicken.