Supermarkets make egg production clucking difficult because egg supply is limited in NZ.

January 22, 2023

Michael Brooks, executive director of the New Zealand Poultry Association said, the availability of eggs in New Zealand is expected to be limited in the following year. It comes after the two major grocery companies, Countdown and Foodstuffs, announced that they will exclusively offer free-range or barn eggs from 2025 and 2027, respectively. But If farmers decide to quit colonies and convert to another system, money will not be the only barrier, they will also require an extra area.

Over 50% of eggs produced in New Zealand are sold in supermarkets, and some stores around the country were reported to be out of eggs during the summer break. Although battery farming of hens was prohibited last year, the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee permitted the use of the free-range, barn, and colony cages. The latter is a huge cage that can house up to 60 hens. It has a particular place for them to lay their eggs as well as an area for them to engage in natural behaviors such as scratching and dust bathing.

The New Zealand government announced in 2012 that poultry farmers would have 10 years to transition from caged battery hens to a free-range, or barn-raised system. this timeframe was created to allow farmers enough time to obtain planning approval from local authorities in order to adapt their farms, import equipment, and make other essential procedures.  Some people have begun to make the changeover, while others have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, which results in a reduction of egg supplies by around 9% between June 2021 and June 2022.

Michael Brooks puts the blame on the supermarket chains for the current egg issue. He believes their decision to reject eggs generated in the colony system is clearly incorrect. Colony eggs are less expensive than free-range and barn eggs, and removing this option from consumers is unfair to people, particularly those in lower socioeconomic areas.

In general, free-range farms are fairly well managed. But there are some obstacles, such as ensuring that hens are not continually permitted to wander on one paddock and must be cycled over different grassland to prevent illness. There are also predators including hawks, ferrets, and stoats. There is an issue of sparrows sneaking into free-range sheds and devouring food, potentially transmitting disease. All of this comes at a cost, which is why the free range is more expensive. According to Brook, the national chicken flock is now at 3.3 million, the lowest level in years.

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