US Scouts for Import of Eggs to Meet Surging Domestic Demand

(3 Minutes Read)

Poultry trade groups in countries like Poland — the world’s second-biggest shipper — to smaller players like France and Indonesia say their nations are fielding inquiries from American embassies and the US Department of Agriculture about eggs for export.

US officials are searching across oceans to find enough eggs to ease a shortage that’s sent prices soaring, forcing grocery stores to limit customer purchases and restaurants to add surcharges.

Poultry trade groups in countries like Poland — the world’s second-biggest shipper — to smaller players like France and Indonesia say their nations are fielding inquiries from American embassies and the US Department of Agriculture about eggs for export.

It shows how far afield the nation is willing to go to bolster supplies after the worst-ever bird flu outbreak killed millions of hens and sent retail prices doubling from a year ago, contributing to broader inflation pressures. The US needs to import 70 to 100 million eggs within the next month or two to fill the gap. President Donald Trump, who made lowering the cost of groceries a key theme of his election campaign, has labelled the market a disaster.

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The short shelf life and fragile shells make eggs inherently challenging to ship and mean countries don’t always have a surplus ready. Animal products also often draw tougher trade requirements than crops like grain or sugar, and some nations are battling bird flu cases of their own