More than 150 poultry producers across Yorkshire are flocking to York for crisis talks next week.

They want to find ways to prevent recurrence of a near-disastrous slump in poultry prices that hit them last year.

A combination of pressure from imports from Thailand, Europe and South America, as well as public confidence shaken by the outbreak of "chicken 'flu" in the Far East, saw prices in some cases drop by about two pence, to a low of 22p per lb.

This was further exacerbated by increases in feed costs, so that farmers were paying £30 per tonne more last year than they are now.

Louise White, NFU poultry adviser for Yorkshire, said: "Two pence can be the difference between profit and loss. If a poultry farmer has 40,000 birds for sale at 5lb per bird, that would mean a loss of about £4,000 per crop and there may be perhaps four crops per year - a potential loss of £16,000. Add that to the extra cost of feed and some farmers really felt under threat."

Prices have since steadily climbed back to the 24 pence mark, but the producers will meet at the National Farmers' Union regional office in York on Wednesday to develop a strategy to combat future price problems.

They will also find out how the UK's domestic and export market for chicken is shaping up for 2005.

The gathering takes place ahead of the next meeting of the NFU regional poultry board, which is putting broiler production at the top of its agenda.

Peter King, the NFU's chief poultry adviser, will outline developments in the poultry meat market.

He will also outline the progress of the NFU's national poultry board in looking at ways to address these problems.

Updated: 11:32 Friday, February 11, 2005