Scarce Egg Supply Due to Avian Influenza

Currently, however, the egg supply is limited due to the aftermath of the avian flu in Europe and the upcoming Easter holidays. For example, organic eggs are sometimes sold out in some supermarkets by late afternoon.

Egg Supply: Certain Varieties Sold Out in Stores

Due to the avian flu, many millions of laying hens had to be culled across the EU in recent months. In Austria, around 200,000 out of 7.3 million laying hens were culled in the fall of 2024 due to the avian flu. The "major losses" in other countries would indirectly affect the Austrian market and the egg supply situation, the poultry industry said in a statement on Tuesday. "Although we are back to full production in Austria, certain types of eggs are partially sold out in stores," said the deputy chairman of the Austrian poultry industry, Heinz Schlögl. Large-scale catering suppliers, who previously supplied the domestic gastronomy with "cheaper foreign eggs," are currently unable to obtain "any or only very expensive eggs" abroad. "Therefore, restaurateurs are turning to the food retail sector for their purchases," said the industry representative.

An extreme example of high egg price volatility is the USA: There, due to the rampant avian flu, an egg now costs more than a dollar in some states. The USA had to search worldwide for eggs, and even the domestic poultry industry association received an inquiry from the US embassy. There are "no opportunities" for egg exports to the USA, according to the Austrian poultry industry. The industry claims to find "only a few newcomers" in Austria, as the overall costs for new barn constructions have "significantly increased" and the current egg prices make large new investments "economically unfeasible." "The Austrian egg production is a pioneer in terms of transparency, animal, and environmental protection," said Günther Wenninger, chairman of the Fresh Egg Producers' Association. "These achievements are not sufficiently recognized," criticized Wenninger.

Every Household Buys an Average of 230 Eggs Per Year

In Austria, more and more eggs are being consumed. The sale of eggs in the food retail sector increased by 7.4 percent in volume and 9.5 percent in value in 2024, according to the latest RollAMA market analysis. For RollAMA, 2,800 Austrian households keep records of their purchases in the food retail sector, including the discounters Hofer and Lidl. In terms of volume, 49.7 percent of egg purchases were from barn-raised, 37.6 percent from free-range, and 12.7 percent from organic farming. On average, each household bought 230 eggs per year for home consumption in 2024. Including eggs processed in pasta, cakes, and pastries, it amounts to around 248 eggs, according to the poultry industry. During the Easter period, around 60 million eggs are sold and consumed. The domestic poultry industry urges consumers to look for the red-white-red AMA quality seal when buying colored Easter eggs. The Chamber of Agriculture is also promoting regional Easter shopping. In addition to traditional foods like eggs, smoked meats, horseradish, and farmhouse bread, there are already local salads, radishes, cucumbers, herbs, and asparagus available due to the late Easter date, said Chamber of Agriculture President Josef Moosbrugger.

(APA/Red)

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