New Zealand has recently experienced an "egg shortage". Since the government proposed a decree banning caged eggs ten years ago, many chicken farmers have chosen to quit or adopt free-range farming methods, resulting in insufficient supply of eggs and rising prices.

(Associated Press file photo)

[Instant News/Comprehensive Report] The "egg shortage" broke out in New Zealand recently. Since the government proposed a decree banning caged eggs ten years ago, and since 2017, the animal protection organization "Stopping Factory Farming" (Stopping Factory) Farming protested against caged chickens across New Zealand, major supermarkets (including fast food chains) have set timetables for abandoning caged eggs, causing many chicken farmers to quit or adopt free-range farming methods, causing eggs Supply is low and prices are rising.

According to comprehensive foreign media reports, New Zealand originally had more than 3 million hens for commercial egg production. However, due to the ban first proposed ten years ago, it was officially implemented in January this year. To raise chickens in cages, only sparse and scattered chicken cages or free-range hens can be used, resulting in a plummeting decline in the number of laying hens.

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According to a survey, more than 75% of chicken farmers in New Zealand had to stop production or find another way.

At present, the total number of laying hens in New Zealand has dropped to less than 2.5 million, which has directly led to a shortage of eggs, and supermarket shelves are empty, so consumers have to limit the purchase of eggs.

The ban originated at the request of animal welfare organizations. As early as 1992, Switzerland became the first country to ban the use of shelf chicken cages. Some European countries, including the United Kingdom, also implemented the ban in 2012.

Due to changes in production methods, some chicken farmers have withdrawn, while others have to invest in land and equipment to renovate their chicken farms. This has also led to frequent shortages of eggs and rising prices.