Price of Christmas turkeys should be little changed - as feed prices suppressed by Brexit

Paul Kelly with one of his whole turkeys Picture: LUCY TAYLOR

Paul Kelly, of Kelly Turkeys in Danbury predicts that a recent trend towards butchers buying imported 'butterflies' - two breast joints attached by the breast skin - as a cheap commodity product may be coming to an end.

"This year turkey butterflies look to be in short supply as current prices are up by about approximately 30%," he said.

MORE - New farmers face up to hard realities of climate change and pay cuts"Switching customers to a whole turkey may be easier this year and is undoubtedly the best long-term solution for the specialist independent retailer."

Whole birds take up the bulk of Kelly Turkeys' own retail sales at 72%, with crowns and breast joints at 14% respectively.

Prices for his birds will be little changed from last year - up by just 1.5% - as Brexit has kept feed costs low, he said.

With the prospect of large tariffs on wheat for export, UK wheat has become uncompetitive and grain that would normally be shipped abroad is creating an oversupplied domestic market.

However, this has been countered by higher labour costs, which have risen substantially as a result of the higher minimum living wage and a weak pound. "This means we have to pay more to attract our seasonal workforce," he said.