Keys Christmas poultry auction to go ahead despite bird flu

The annual festive sale will be held at Keys’ saleground off Palmers Lane for the 70th year in a row on Wednesday, December 21.

Auctioneers said around 100 turkeys, geese, chickens and ducks will go under the hammer - fewer than in previous years, due to the ongoing bird flu epidemic.

Hundreds of thousands of birds have been culled in disease hotspots across East Anglia in recent months, heaping further pressure on farmers already struggling with soaring feed prices and production costs.

But while other Norfolk poultry auctions have been cancelled, Keys director Tim Blyth said his firm was determined to continue a tradition dating back to 1953.

"Our Christmas poultry sale is a wonderful Christmas tradition, which brings together local producers and local consumers," he said.

"Sadly avian flu has once again been a major issue for our poultry farmers, and that will mean that there are far fewer birds available this year.

"But we were determined to continue with the sale and offer people the opportunity to come and buy their Christmas dinner – even if the sale will be smaller in scale than in previous years."

The Keys auction takes place from 11am on December 21, with viewing starting at 9am.

The majority of the birds were raised by small-scale local farmers, and most bidders are expected to be private individuals looking for a centrepiece for their Christmas dinner table.

The Keys Christmas Poultry Auction will be held in Aylsham on December 21 (Image: Andy Newman)

Among the poultry auctions which have been cancelled this Christmas is the annual sale at Norwich Livestock Market on Hall Road.

Market chairman Stephen Lutkin said high poultry feed prices had also been a major factor, along with bird flu.

"The price of feed has been so expensive that a lot of people who were selling birds here last year have not reared them this year," he said. "If you are not going to make money, then why do it?"

The TW Gaze Christmas Poultry Show and Sale at Diss Auction Rooms has also been cancelled, along with the Swaffham Poultry Market sale run by auctioneer Fabian Eagle - although he will be holding the second of two sales across the Suffolk border at Holywell Row, near Mildenhall, from 10.45am on December 21.

Swaffham poultry auctioneer Fabian Eagle (Image: Swaffham Town Council)

Could there be a free-range surplus?

Despite the turkey shortages feared during the height of Norfolk's bird flu epidemic, there is actually now a sizeable surplus of free-range birds, said Mr Eagle.

While hundreds of thousands of birds were being culled in October, he said worried customers had snapped up frozen supermarket turkeys rather than risk their traditional Christmas dinner not being available in December.

But now, with household budgets tightening, he believes the reduced demand for premium poultry has left farmers with a surplus of as many as 1,500 free-range birds across Norfolk.

"There are two factors," he said. "The first one is the cost of living crisis - people have been looking at what they were going to cut back on and, to be honest, we are talking about a premium product and there are cheaper options available.

"Then you get this huge bird flu pandemic, with catastrophic losses and people were worried they would not have a turkey for Christmas. So, two months ago, they bought a frozen one so they didn't miss out.

"Now they are looking at it and saying: I have already spent £20, so do I want to go and spend another £80-£100 when I am worried about my bills?"

Mr Eagle said while some supermarkets had imported Italian turkey meats to satisfy that frozen demand, there is now an "enormous amount" of free-range birds available.

He is confident producers will "find a way" to locate buyers, and there may be some bargains available for premium birds - but the meat may need to be portioned to go into lower-value food products.