Turkey has imposed a tax on egg exports to help control domestic prices during the holy Islamic month of Ramadan, a move that is creating a headache for the United States as it grapples with its worst bird flu outbreak in decades.

What happened: The new measure, which came into effect Wednesday, will see exporters pay the lira equivalent of $0.50 per kilogram, according to a Turkish Trade Ministry statement.

The Turkish Trade Ministry added that an avian flu outbreak in Turkey had lowered its egg output, especially in the final quarter of 2024, causing domestic prices to rise. The ministry said it expected there to be more demand for its exports and that it needed to protect “consumer welfare” during Ramadan, which begins on March 1.

Turkey is the third-biggest exporter of eggs in the world, exporting around $224.5 million worth in 2023 and accounting for 7.5% of global exports, according to trade data platform Tendata. The Netherlands is the biggest exporter at $610.1 million (20.5% of global exports), followed by Poland with $464.4 million (15.6%).