Australian consumers are facing an egg shortage that has been caused, in part, by new free range regulations.
The SMH reports that, apart from the regulations, the shortage has also been caused by a 3-4 per cent increase in demand for eggs as well as the onset of winter.
Because of cold weather, hens lay fewer eggs during winter. And under the new regulations introduced in March farmers are required to limit hen density to 10,000 per hectare and ensure that all birds can regularly move outdoors. Otherwise the eggs they produce may not be labelled free range.
The exact rules regarding barn dimensions have yet to be finalised and, as a result, farmers are delaying making any changes. This is affecting free range production.
In turn, as a result of the shortage of free range eggs, consumers have turned to caged eggs and the overall egg stocks have dropped.
Queensland United Egg Producers CEO John Coward told the ABC it would take up to three months to resolve the shortage.
“I haven’t noticed any price increase at the moment,” he said.
“Retailers, obviously being in a very competitive world, will try to keep those down.
“But if they have to start moving eggs around the countryside to meet demand … that would probably put some upward pressure on price.”