Chen Jizhong, chairman of the Council of Agriculture, said that the eggs imported in March will be given priority to supply to supermarkets.

(Photo by reporter Yang Yuanting)

[Reporter Yang Yuanting/Taipei Report] In order to meet the domestic demand for eggs, the Council of Agriculture has launched an egg import program. By the end of the year, eggs will be imported from 10 countries including the United States, Australia, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Turkey, Poland, and Brazil. Chairman Chen Jizhong said today (24th) that 325,000 Thai eggs will arrive in Taiwan by ship next week, and that the eggs imported in March will be given priority to the washing and sorting channels to supply supermarkets; the Animal Husbandry Department added that consumption Visitors can buy imported eggs as early as March 29.

As the weather stabilizes, the daily domestic production of eggs has risen to 112,000 boxes (200 pieces per box). The wholesale price will be increased first, and the land price will be increased after 3 days. Some egg farmers point out that the price difference will fall into the pockets of egg merchants.

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Is it possible to adjust the egg price again?

Chen Jizhong said that the Council of Agriculture has not received any information that the egg merchants association will hold a meeting to discuss the price increase, and also emphasized that the Council of Agriculture will not take the initiative to have any form of contact and explanation with the egg merchants, "otherwise, no matter whether the egg price rises or not, Egg merchants have shifted the responsibility to the Council of Agriculture.”

Egg prices are determined by an egg price evaluation committee composed of egg merchants and egg farmers. However, some industry insiders pointed out that egg merchants still have a greater say in egg prices; As for the price of egg production sites, Chen Jizhong said that the outside world should be very clear about whether the egg farmers will get an immediate increase in profits. He also pointed out that there is an absolute difference between the production site prices announced by the Egg Price Review Committee and the actual production site prices. Now if we want to discuss the adjustment of the market price, we should also openly let the public know whether it is necessary.

Domestic egg production capacity has been gradually restored. Chen Jizhong pointed out that according to the data provided by the Chicken Association to the Agricultural Committee, breeder farms will provide 13% more chickens to egg-in-egg farms in April than in March. Provide 200 chicks per month to chicken farms in eggs. At present, the number of laying hens that can be produced has exceeded 31.58 million. It is estimated that egg production will return to the previous year's level in May and June.

Imported washed eggs will arrive in Taiwan one after another. Zhang Jingwei, head of the Animal Husbandry Department, said that in addition to Thai eggs, there will also be eggs from Australia and the United States. He also revealed that the eggs imported from the United States are introduced by McDonald's, and even McDonald's will All imported eggs in this batch will be dispatched by the COA.

Chen Jizhong said that eggs imported before the end of March will be re-washed domestically (to remove dust from transportation, etc.) and distributed to supermarkets to satisfy consumers. More eggs will arrive in Taiwan in April and May, and some imported eggs will be dispatched Provide processors.

Zhang Jingwei said that the price of imported eggs provided to supermarkets will be based on the lowest price of boxed washed eggs currently sold in the supermarket, and eggs imported from various countries will be evenly distributed to each supermarket. There will not be Australian eggs that only provide A Pathway, or the case where Thai eggs only provide the B pathway.