Expansion plans of Russia’s leading turkey meat producers, Eurodon Group and Damate, may be frustrated as a result of their facilities being hit by the current spate of outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
Located in the Oktyabrsky District of Rostov Oblast, Eurodon’s No. 5 facility was found to be affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza of an H5 subtype on July 10. Of the almost 222,000 birds at the premises, more than 8,200 died, according to the official report from Russia’s veterinary service, Rosselkhoznadzor to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). The outbreak is among 67 officially confirmed by the service since June.
All of the remaining birds at the facility were scheduled for destruction, according to the Rostov government on July 25. Poultry farms within 10 kilometers of the outbreak were being inspected for signs of the disease, and owners were warned to comply with strict biosecurity measures to prevent further spread of the disease.
Part of the Southern Federal District of Russia, Rostov Oblast is in western Russia, and borders Ukraine.
Eurodon doubles turkey meat production in two years
In the first six months of this year, Eurodon Group produced just under 62,700 metric tons (mt) of turkey meat, and 14,000 mt of duck meat — a total of 76,700 mt meat for the period.
Just two years previously, the firm’s output of turkey meat for the same period stood at 30,552 mt, so output has more than doubled since 2016.
The 2016 figure represented a two-fold increase in production from the same January to June period of the previous year.
According to Eurodon, investments completed in 2015 offer potential production capacity of 150,000 mt of turkey meat, and 30,000 mt duck meat in the first phase, rising to 80,000 mt in a second stage of development.
Founded in 2003 and under the Indolina brand, Eurodon has become the top turkey meat producer in Russia, according the WATTAgNet.com's profiles of the World's Top Poultry Companies. The company’s duck meat brand is Utolina.
With a total area of 160 hectares (395 acres), Eurodon is fully vertically integrated, operating 93 turkey houses on 12 segregated farms for rearing and growing, as well as a hatchery, meat processing plant and feed mill, according to the firm’s website.
Damate loses 190,000 birds to HPAI
One of Eurodon’s competitors in the Russian turkey meat sector is Damate. One of its subsidiaries located in Penza Oblast, PenzaMolInvest, was hit by an outbreak of HPAI in June. More than 190,000 birds at the site were affected, including more than 17,800 birds that died as a result of the disease.
Last year, Damate announced it was making investments aimed at doubling its annual turkey meat capacity to 155,000 mt, which is just marginally higher than its rival, Eurodon.
