Chen Jizhong, chairman of the Council of Agriculture, revealed that he knew at the end of last year that the supply of eggs might be tight at the beginning of this year, but in order to take care of small farmers, he tried to make arrangements with processors. It was not until the bird flu epidemic in the south that he had to import eggs specially.

(Photo by reporter Yang Yuanting)

[Reporter Yang Yuanting/Taipei Report] In order to meet the domestic demand for eggs, the Council of Agriculture announced in March that it will launch egg import measures until the end of the year. Brazil and other 10 countries import eggs. Chairman Chen Jizhong revealed today (24th) that he knew at the end of last year that the supply of eggs might be tight at the beginning of this year, but in order to take care of small farmers, he worked hard to dispatch eggs to processors. Had to import eggs ad hoc.

Affected by the bird flu epidemic, climate and other factors, the daily domestic egg production has been decreasing since December last year, until this week the daily egg production rose to 112,000 boxes (200 eggs per box) for the first time. Experts discussed the prevention of bird flu. Chen Jizhong said frankly that, judging from the figures released to the public, the number of dead chickens sent to chemical farms has remained high in the past few months. He also pointed out that if chicken farmers encounter some chickens Infected by the epidemic, most of them were forced to moult. Therefore, a few weeks ago, the number of hens moulting within a week reached as many as 800,000. From these data, it can be observed that bird flu has indeed affected the domestic egg supply.

Please read on...

Xu Zhenzhong, honorary professor of Chung Hsing University, was surprised by Chen Jizhong's confession, and expressed his admiration for Chen's understanding of the grassroots, because chicken farmers did force hens to moult to reduce the mortality rate of the epidemic. Flu related.

Chen Jizhong also confided in the meeting the decision-making process of importing eggs for the special project. He said that he knew that the supply of eggs was tight from the end of last year to the beginning of the year. Eggs were released to the people's livelihood channel. He also pointed out that in the past, bird flu epidemics usually mainly affected the central region, but after this wave of H5N1 epidemics entered Chiayi and Pingtung, due to the large shortage of eggs, which has affected people's livelihood and processing industries, they had to adopt special imported eggs measure.

"If it wasn't for taking care of small farmers, we wouldn't let the shortage of eggs be so long." Chen Jizhong said that next week, 325,000 Thai eggs will arrive in Taiwan, and eggs imported from Turkey, Brazil and other countries will also arrive in Taiwan. The eggs are arriving one after another, and because the eggs from these countries are shipped by sea, they will indeed have a price advantage to some extent. It is pointed out that the industry has reported that it is difficult to apply for pasture registration due to the local government self-government regulations. The Council of Agriculture does not rule out the design of poultry houses on the flat land of Taiwan Sugar's afforestation, and reduces the pollution of poultry houses. Tens of millions of eggs, and through the regulation of egg inventory to ensure the stability of egg prices.

Chen Jizhong also said that chicken death insurance will be promoted, and this year it will be implemented first by chicken-in-egg farms. Only those who meet the biosafety and epidemic prevention conditions required by the Council of Agriculture can apply for it.