Bird flu causing egg prices to rise

Bird flu hitting the Netherlands’ poultry-dense region in Noord-Limburg has caused a shortage, and that is resulting in increasing prices, Bart Jan Oplaat of the Dutch Poultry Farmers’ Union told AD.

According to Oplaat, bird flu in Noord-Limburg, particularly in and around Venray - the highest egg production area in the Netherlands, is the source of the trouble. Almost all of the eggs produced in Noord-Limburg are destined for Germany’s Ruhr region, but due to an EU regulation, Germany is not allowed to import eggs from areas with bird flu restrictions imposed on them.

“German supermarkets are trying to buy eggs everywhere, especially on the open market. This includes Dutch eggs from outside Noord-Limburg,” Oplaat said. A market disruption like that quickly leads to shortages in supermarkets. "Supermarkets buy just enough eggs so they don't have too few, but certainly not too many. If a small disruption occurs in the market, it can have immediate consequences. We're seeing that happen now."

Data from the Supermarktscanner shows that the price for 20 fresh barn eggs at Albert Heijn increased from €6.29 in December to €6.49 now. At Jumbo, 10 free-range eggs now cost €4.79, up from €4.49 in November.

Jumbo told AD that there’s an “imbalance” in supply and demand, and that eggs are “slightly more limited in availability.”

Albert Heinj spoke of “extra pressure on supply.” In addition to bird flu, the supermarket noticed that customers bought more eggs than usual during the winter weather a week ago.

Lidl told the newspaper that the “availability of eggs is a challenge.”