Turkeys in short supply for the holidays

It may be difficult to find a festive fowl for your feast this year.

Avian flu is causing a turkey shortage in British Columbia, the B.C. Poultry Association said, anticipating a 20 percent drop in available birds compared to previous years.

However, there are currently no shortages of eggs or chickens.

Kelowna10 went to a local grocer, Lakeview Market, to talk turkey.

“Our turkey stock is very low, and it keeps getting lower,” assistant meat manager Brian Alexander said. “Orders that we’ve already had previously put in place, we get cancellations before they even get here. So, it’s looking pretty bleak.”

Another worker in the meat department was busy on the phone, going through a list of customers to inform them that, regrettably, they won’t be able to get their turkey from them this year.

Alexander said big supermarkets will tend to have a large stock of frozen birds, but for smaller grocers, they are harder to come by.

In the realm of festive meals, there are plenty of alternatives though.

“Your number one alternative is going to be a ham,” he explained. “Rib roasts tend to be quite popular this time of year as well.”

He said if you can get a turkey, it may be best to get it now.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency's latest available data shows 866,200 birds have been impacted by the H5N1 strain of avian flu this year in British Columbia. It shows 43 currently infected premises in the province as of Wednesday, while 21 others have recovered.

Avian flu is spread through contact with an infected bird or its feces or nasal secretions. Farm birds that go outside are most at risk because they can come in direct contact with infected wild birds or their feces.

The agency has said no human cases have been detected in Canada and the illness is not considered a significant concern for healthy people who are not in regular contact with infected birds.