The United States is by far the leading country in turkey production, accounting for the majority of the world’s supply, followed by Brazil, Germany, France, and Italy. Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) are native to North America and were first domesticated by indigenous peoples in central Mexico at least 2,000 years ago. Spanish explorers brought domesticated turkeys from Mexico to Europe in the early 16th century, where they quickly gained popularity and spread throughout the continent. Over time, selective breeding in Europe and North America led to the development of the large, commercially viable breeds seen today. Turkeys are now a staple in global agriculture, especially in countries with strong culinary traditions involving turkey meat, such as the United States, where turkey is central to holidays like Thanksgiving.
| Rank | Country | Head |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States of America | 72,000,000 |
| 2 | Brazil | 30,786,000 |
| 3 | Chile | 27,415,000 |
| 4 | France | 17,521,000 |
| 5 | Poland | 15,256,000 |
| 6 | Tunisia | 13,225,000 |
| 7 | Morocco | 12,788,000 |
| 8 | Russia | 8,407,000 |
| 9 | Canada | 5,658,000 |
| 10 | Turkey | 4,704,000 |
| 11 | United Kingdom | 3,800,000 |
| 12 | Mexico | 3,799,000 |
| 13 | Israel | 3,228,000 |
| 14 | Argentina | 2,958,000 |
| 15 | Hungary | 2,742,000 |
| 16 | Madagascar | 2,373,000 |
| 17 | Egypt | 2,314,000 |
| 18 | Kazakhstan | 1,824,000 |
| 19 | Iran | 1,760,000 |
| 20 | Ukraine | 1,569,000 |
| 21 | Belarus | 1,483,000 |
| 22 | Azerbaijan | 1,351,000 |
| 23 | Australia | 1,075,000 |
| 24 | Uzbekistan | 716,000 |
| 25 | Netherlands | 604,000 |
| 26 | Philippines | 579,000 |
| 27 | South Africa | 541,000 |
| 28 | Turkmenistan | 474,000 |
| 29 | Norway | 458,000 |
| 30 | Georgia | 419,000 |
| 31 | Croatia | 417,000 |
| 32 | Albania | 411,000 |
| 33 | Finland | 357,000 |
| 34 | Ecuador | 312,000 |
| 35 | Paraguay | 214,000 |
| 36 | Lithuania | 209,000 |
| 37 | Haiti | 194,000 |
| 38 | Kyrgyzstan | 188,000 |
| 39 | Moldova | 168,000 |
| 40 | Armenia | 147,000 |
| 41 | Slovakia | 146,000 |
| 42 | Syria | 139,000 |
| 43 | Mozambique | 118,000 |
| 44 | Slovenia | 104,000 |
| 45 | Algeria | 93,000 |
| 46 | Switzerland | 83,000 |
| 47 | Fiji | 80,000 |
| 48 | Barbados | 79,000 |
| 50 | China Taiwan | 77,000 |
| 50 | China | 77,000 |
| 50 | New Zealand | 77,000 |
| 52 | Serbia | 72,000 |
| 53 | Belize | 52,000 |
| 54 | Zimbabwe | 30,000 |
| 55 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 21,000 |
| 56 | Papua New Guinea | 17,000 |
| 57 | Panama | 16,000 |
| 58 | South Korea | 11,000 |
| 59 | Jordan | 5,000 |
| 60.5 | Sao Tome and Principe | 3,000 |
| 60.5 | Myanmar | 3,000 |
| 62.5 | Japan | 2,000 |
| 62.5 | Mauritius | 2,000 |
Data from United Nations FAO Stat