Influenza Outbreak Increases Refrigeration Demand
An outbreak of avian influenza (bird flu) this past November (2014) has resulted in a slower export market for spent hens, as importing countries are being especially cautious with the poultry meat products brought in to their markets. The current conditions have led to falling prices and increased demand for temporary refrigeration at processing plants and wholesale distribution outlets.
World Poultry reports that the bird flu outbreak was minor compared to other similar events in Germany and Holland, yet the restrictions on British poultry meat imports are as tight as they have been in the past. The restrictions are especially problematic when it comes to legs. And because the legs make up a sizeable portion of the average spent hen, there is a lot of meat standing still that would otherwise be available to the market.
Poultry processors are now renting temporary refrigeration units to protect their supplies while they wait for the market to rebound. Britain is not expected to regain avian influenza-free status for at least several more months. In the meantime, portable refrigerators and freezers will be utilised to protect supplies.
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When British exports finally resume at pre-outbreak levels, the excess stock will likely keep prices low in the short term. Moreover, while that is not necessarily good for producers and processors, it is still better than allowing meat to go to waste altogether. Utilising temporary refrigeration will still allow the meat to eventually be consumed rather than being wasted.
Cold Chain to the Rescue
The use of temporary refrigeration to handle excess poultry supply is just one example of how the cold chain comes to the rescue time and again. Without the modern refrigeration and freezing capacity we now have, it would not be possible for Western countries to supply the large quantities of affordable food we now produce. Affordability requires mass production; mass production requires a reliable cold chain that includes everything from warehouse refrigeration to retail cold storage.
Icecool Trailers is proud to be part of the cold chain industry supplying temporary refrigeration to customers in the Greater London area and throughout most of England and South Wales. In the event that one of our clients needed temporary refrigeration for long-term storage of excess poultry meats, we could provide a number of different options by way of both trailers and walk-in rooms.
Our trailers are available in two separate sizes and come with complete shelving and lighting. Just a few of our trailers could certainly hold a lot of excess poultry products until exports pick up again. Our walk-in cold rooms offer the same capacity for internal cold storage.
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Among the advantages we offer customers is our promise of reliable equipment and around-the-clock call out service. We maintain all of our equipment to the highest standards so that our customers have no worries about the items or products they need to keep cold.
For more information about our trailers and walk-in rooms, feel free to call Icecool Trailers and ask to speak to one of our refrigeration specialists. We would be more than happy to answer all your questions about how our temporary refrigeration can be beneficial in helping you meet your business goals.
Sources:
1. World Poultry – http://www.worldpoultry.net/Broilers/Markets—Trade/2015/1/UK-spent-hen-price-suffers-after-AI-outbreak-1680977W/
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