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Are these Polish eggs? „Some buyers feel misled”
A shortage of eggs, aside from those produced in cages, has prompted retailers to begin selling imported eggs, as reported by the National Chamber of Poultry and Feed Producers (KIPDiP). Additionally, it was noted that some consumers in Poland „feel deceived”.
She pointed out that „instead of locally sourced eggs, some vendors are offering eggs from countries like the Netherlands and Romania. Retailers fail to inform customers that they are purchasing eggs sourced from abroad, leading to feelings of deception among some buyers.”
„Certain retailers have taken questionable actions”
Katarzyna Gawrońska, the director of the National Chamber of Poultry and Feed Producers, clarified that the absence of domestic eggs in certain stores is not due to Polish producers, but rather the trading strategies of specific retail chains.
– Regrettably, some retailers have made questionable choices to cease selling cage eggs, which has resulted in Polish egg packers needing to import barn eggs from outside the country – stated Gawrońska.
The KIPDiP leader reminded that during the phase where retail chains, bakeries, and hotels declared their intention to stop using cage eggs, the Chamber highlighted the potential risks associated with such a decision, including the possibility of an egg shortage from alternative farming systems.
She mentioned that while there is a significant trend in Europe to phase out cage egg production, and the European Commission has proposed a future prohibition on cage farming for laying hens, there are currently no specific regulations suggested, as further analysis of the implications of such a ban is required.
Gawrońska observed that Poland ranks as a major egg producer, primarily relying on cage farming practices, and transitioning to different farming methods is both costly and a lengthy endeavor.
Data from the Ministry of Agriculture indicates that in 2023, around 72% of laying hens were raised in cages, just over 20% – free-range; 5.8% – in litter systems, and organic egg production accounted for less than 1%.
How to identify an egg producer PAP„Domestic egg production is adequate”
Another factor contributing to the reduced supply of eggs is the outbreak of bird flu, which has also impacted laying hens. This year alone, approximately 4.5 million hens have been culled due to outbreaks, contact farms, and preventive measures. In the last months of 2024, around 1.7 million hens were removed from production.
– Despite the bird flu crisis in Poland, local egg production is adequate to fulfill domestic requirements – the expert explained.
Overall, about 10% of the production capacity has been lost in recent months. Considering that producers have refrained from replenishing their flocks in 2024, resulting in nearly 5 million fewer hens in Poland last year, the current number of hens is almost 20% lower than it was a year prior – noted the Chamber.
As the organization reported last week, bird flu has affected Poland’s two primary egg-producing regions: central and western Wielkopolska and northern Mazovia. Additionally, farms that previously managed to control the virus and were theoretically prepared to restart production were unable to do so due to the virus resurfacing on neighboring farms.
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Significant shortages in the US
KIPDiP is also highlighting the egg production situation in the US. There, the shortage is so pronounced that federal regulations may be considered to prevent bans on the sale of eggs from caged hens in certain states. This is attributed to bird flu, which has diminished the number of laying hens by about 20 percent.
– Currently, the American side is exploring the feasibility of importing Polish eggs to the USA; Polish producers indicate their readiness to supply a substantial amount of egg processing products, but the export of whole eggs remains limited – Gawrońska informed.
The United States has already increased its imports from Turkey. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, Turkey is the sole country from which the US imports eggs. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that in 2024, the United States imported 71 million eggs from Turkey, with imports expected to grow almost sixfold this year.
Turkey stands as the fifth-largest egg exporter globally, trailing behind the Netherlands, the United States, Poland, and Germany. In 2023, the country exported eggs valued at $411 million worldwide.
