Farmers have warned about the potential impact on the supply of turkeys this Christmas due to the UK’s largest outbreak of bird flu.

They have reportedly described the current situation as “unbelievably bad” and “the foot and mouth of the poultry industry”.

From November 7, birdkeepers in England will be legally required to house their poultry indoors in a bid to tackle the spread of avian influenza.

The move is an extension of measures already in force in Suffolk, Norfolk and parts of Essex from early October.

The national risk of bird flu in wild birds has increased and is now considered to be very high, with the UK facing its largest outbreak of bird flu over the past year.

More than 200 cases have been confirmed since late October 2021.

Mark Gorton, managing director of Traditional Norfolk Poultry, said if the situation continues there could be “severe shortages” this festive season.

The UK produces nearly a billion birds a year for eating as meat and, for Christmas, produces between nine and ten million turkeys.

Mr Gorton told The Independent: “It’s been unbelievably bad. It’s off the scale – worse than anything we’ve seen before.

“There will be a big impact on the Christmas market. It’s going to be quite bad. If it carries on the way it is, we’re going to be seeing severe shortages.”

Berkshire farmer Tom Copas told BBC News: “It’s terrifying right now. Our entire business depends on the Christmas market. If we were to get bird flu we would lose everything.”

Turkey supplier Paul Kelly, based in Essex, said it is “the worst year I have ever known in my whole life and business, by a long way”.

He told BBC News: “It is the foot and mouth of the poultry industry at the moment. It is, in East Anglia, absolutely devastating.”

Despite the culling of nearly 3.5 million birds, food supplies should not be significantly affected, UK chief veterinary officer Dr Christine Middlemiss said previously.

The UK Health Security Agency said the risk to public health from the virus is very low, while the Food Standards Agency said it poses a very low food safety risk for UK consumers, with properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, safe to eat.

Meanwhile, an environment minister said outbreaks of avian influenza continue to occur at “an unprecedented scale”.

Making a statement in the Commons on the Government’s response to the current outbreaks, Mark Spencer said: “Outbreaks of avian influenza in both kept and wild birds continue to occur at an unprecedented scale, with cases continuing to be confirmed into year two of the outbreak for the first time.

“October has seen a massive escalation in the number of cases confirmed with 91 cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza confirmed in poultry and captive birds.

“82 cases in England, four cases in Scotland, four cases in Wales and one case in Northern Ireland. This compares to a total of 158 cases in the year between October 21 and the 30th of September 22, and the 26 cases in winter 2020 to 2021.”

The relaxation of rules for sale on previously frozen seasonal poultry products will “help mitigate any potential risks for the Christmas food supply”, Mr Spencer said.

“We recognise the significant financial pressure an outbreak of avian influenza can have on producers. Current rules are designed to encourage good biosecurity standards. This remains a top priority.

“On Wednesday, October 26, to help producers deal with the impacts of the UK’s worst ever avian influenza outbreak, Defra confirmed changes to the avian influenza compensation scheme, which will be implemented in addition to a relaxation of rules for sale on previously frozen seasonal poultry products.”

Mr Spencer said farmers who breed turkeys, geese and ducks for their meat “will have the option to slaughter their flocks early and freeze products which can then be defrosted and sold to consumers between the 28th of November and the 31st of December 22”.

He added: “While we produce over 11 million turkeys in the UK every year, there is no immediate threat to the food supply chain as a result of the current outbreak, this measure will help mitigate any potential risks for the Christmas food supplies.”

It is “essential” the industry play their part in “helping prevent further outbreaks”, Mr Spencer said.

The environment minister told MPs: “Work with the sector has shown there has been too much uncertainty in the past about the entitlement to compensation in the event of a confirmed case of avian influenza outbreak, where healthy birds are called to help disease control.

“We are therefore altering the operation of the existing compensation scheme for avian influenza to give earlier certainty about the entitlement to compensation. This will be linked to decisions taken at the start of the planned culling rather than at the end.”

He added: “We will be applying this approach from October 1, 2022. However, biosecurity is the essential defence against avian flu and despite being a legal requirement for the avian flu prevention zone in force and a baseline for industry assurance schemes, veterinary investigations at infected premises continue to reveal unacceptable lapses of biosecurity.

“It is essential that industry play their part in helping prevent further outbreaks.”