U.S. Bird Flu outbreak to drive Poultry prices up says Super Value owner
Bird Flu has been detected in domesticated birds in the US and now reports are saying in the next few months, chicken and turkey will more than likely be off the shelves as a result.
Bahamas supermarket mogul, Rupert Roberts, as owner of Super Value and Quality Supermarkets, is featured in a report by Guardian Business giving a frightening forecast. He fears poultry products will be wiped out.
This he says is scary.
He adds that suppliers are not saying much if anything at all, but are expecting this outcome worldwide.
The bird flu was found in chickens in Texas and Michigan, said media reports which also said one person was infected, as well as other livestock.
In response to the outbreak, the largest egg producer in the US, CalMaine Foods, temporarily stopped egg production in Texas and started executing over 1 million hens and 337 thousand chicks.
Despite this, Roberts reportedly said chicken and turkey supplies are safe for now. The Bahamas imports its turkey from Brazil, which Roberts hopes will grow to become the country’s main supplier.
However, the unfortunate outcome is that poultry prices are set to go up according to Roberts, as the small island nation competes with giant economies like China for poultry products.