Nowadays, turkey production has to face many challenges, which arise from global economic processes, as well as from the difficulties and biological characteristics of animal husbandry. Although turkey meat is a popular source of protein due to its favorable content and high mineral content, its demand has decreased globally in recent years - mainly due to the decline of the HORECA (hotels, restaurants, cafes) sector. In this study, we aimed to conduct an operational study of the Hungarian turkey meat production sector. During the research, we modeled a “virtual plant” engaged in the production of domestic, high-quality slaughter turkeys, for which we applied a simulation model operating on a deterministic principle. The “virtual farm” essentially reflects the top quarter of farms operating in the country, rather than the national average. The time horizon of the model calculation refers to the beginning of 2022, so the results can be interpreted with the input and output prices of that time. Under fixed conditions, the cost of producing one kilogram of live turkey was 575 HUF in the period under review. Nearly 90% of production costs were material costs, which are determined by the cost of feed. The production value of slaughter turkey production was 479 HUF per kilogram of live weight, including horizontal subsidies available to the sector. Based on the model, in the examined economic environment, slaughter turkey production is unprofitable even under good quality farming conditions. Producers can expect profitable activity in the case of higher live animal purchase prices or lower costs (e.g. a recovery in feed prices).
