Biznes Fakty
Easter. Ministry speaks out on eggs
On Friday, the Ministry of Agriculture released a statement addressing „alleged egg shortages in retail markets.” Minister Czesław Siekierski also provided his insights on the situation. – I believe there will be no egg shortages for Easter – he stated.
During the Agrotech fair in Kielce, Minister Siekierski was questioned about the roughly ten percent rise in egg prices. According to the head of the Ministry of Agriculture, this increase is not attributed to a genuine lack of products in the market.
– This is merely a market response to a somewhat diminished supply (quantity – ed.), along with media coverage. This issue is also evident in the United States, where the per capita number of hens is examined. The metrics in Poland are significantly more favorable. I am confident there will be no deficit of eggs during the holiday season – he remarked.
He further stated that increasing prices should encourage consideration regarding the future of the poultry industry in Poland. He believes that sustaining poultry production on smaller farms, provided sanitary regulations are adhered to, could offer a stable model. – This necessitates adherence to all guidelines, particularly concerning disease prevention – he emphasized.
He highlighted that this is a critical matter, especially now during the migratory season for birds arriving from the south, which can transmit diseases. Therefore, it is vital to ensure proper breeding security and maintain sanitary conditions.
Ministry issues announcement on eggs
On Friday, the Ministry of Agriculture issued a statement regarding reports that – as the ministry pointed out – „surfaced in the media and related to supposed egg shortages in the retail sector”.
The ministry clarified that „any significant deficiencies may solely pertain to eggs from free-range farming, which might stem from the actions of retail chains that have removed cage eggs from their selection.”
The announcement stressed that „outbreaks of avian influenza and pre-holiday periods contribute to elevated egg prices.” The ministry noted that this is relevant to the entire European Union market. According to the European Commission’s data, around late February and early March this year, the average price of eggs in packing facilities was 13.1 percent higher compared to the same timeframe last year.
Return to cage farming
The Ministry of Agriculture pointed out that the farming of caged hens was implemented as a „response to severe challenges with diseases that previously devastated flocks”. Avian influenza is prevalent in Poland year-round and poses a lethal risk to hens kept outdoors.
„Consequently, an increasing number of counties in the UK are enacting orders to confine hens within hen houses, and in one US state, authorities have permitted a return to cage farming. This method of farming is safer for the birds and offers greater possibilities for acquiring more affordable eggs, without the threat of viruses from diseases carried by wild birds and rodents, among others, that can wipe out entire poultry populations,” the release noted.
The Ministry of Agriculture reported that Poland has been exporting table eggs for many years – approximately 40% of domestic production is directed to international clients. According to data from the Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics – National Research Institute – referenced by the ministry – the annual production volume of table eggs in Poland is around 550-560 thousand tonnes.
