UK Christmas turkey shortage is likely and other farm facilities are being mothballed, MPs warned

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

There is likely to be shortage of UK produced turkeys for Christmas - and farming facilities for other produce are being 'mothballed' - MPs have been warned.

Graeme Dear, chair of the British Poultry Council, has told MPs there is a “likelihood” there will be a shortage of UK-produced turkeys for Christmas, warning produce may have to be imported from Europe.

He said: “We have been given access through the seasonal workers scheme for up to 5,500 but that finishes on December 31. “We would have loved to have known about that in June, and therefore could have placed enough turkeys for a full Christmas. “We will do our utmost to make sure that Christmas is as normal as it can be, but there is a likelihood that there will be a shortage – had we