Supermarkets could face chicken shortages as rising energy bills and packaging costs are affecting supply.
As poultry farmers struggle to cope, the British Poultry Council told the Mail Online that “without a fair price for product”, the industry is “at breaking point.”
The trade group added that the current system is “unsustainable” as “the price consumers pay for food does not reflect the cost of producing it.”
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On top of costs such as energy, feed, labour and packaging, last year, the industry also suffered from the outbreak of avian flu, which saw many farmers taking action to protect their flocks as a third of all free-range Christmas turkeys died.
Just last month, the government lifted its mandatory bird flu lockdown which saw birds across England and Wales kept inside since November 2022 to stop the spread.
This comes as UK supermarkets are also being hit with further fruit and vegetable shortages.
While the British growing season began late due to cold weather and a lack of sunlight, some parts of southern Spain, which grows produce such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce and broccoli, has experienced unprecedented hight temperatures.
As a result, Big 4 grocer Sainsbury’s has warned of shortages to products such as peppers and eggs.
Morrisons also started to ration peppers to two per customer last week and Waitrose ran out of the vegetable in some of its stores.
