In short
Avian influenza outbreaks in Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT have led to nationwide egg shortages since June.
Two major supermarket chains have a two-carton limit on eggs per customer in some states.
What’s next?
Warmer weather in spring is expected to boost egg production and alleviate shortages.
For months, shoppers across Australia have grappled with low egg stocks at supermarkets.
Outbreaks of avian influenza in Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT earlier this year — and the subsequent culling of about 1.8 million chickens — has led to major disruptions in egg supply chains.
But there is potential relief in sight.
Rowan McMonnies, managing director of not-for-profit company Australian Eggs, said the warmer weather ahead and flock rebuilding would help to ease shortages.
Free-range egg production typically declines over the winter months.
“For those that are impacted by a near-empty or completely empty shelf, it could feel like egg supply has collapsed. I can assure you it hasn’t,” Mr McMonnies said.
“We’re still doing more than 18 million eggs every single day, but it’s patchy in parts.
“One retailer might have the shortage one week and then they secure supply, but they might take it from another.”
Mr McMonnies said the situation should resolve itself as egg production increased over spring.
“This disruption is ongoing across the winter and we are very much looking forward to the spring period,” he said.
“We’re hoping through that natural dynamic of the birds being outside, the sun shining, we do see an increase in production and we’re looking for that relief on shelf.”
Are shoppers panic buying?
Since June, supermarket giant Coles has had a limit of two-cartons per customer for all states except Western Australia.
Competitor Woolworths has also limited egg purchases since June, most recently adding Tasmania to the list on August 3.
“Just as we have seen in other states, the majority of customers only buy one carton of eggs at a time, and there’s no reason why that should change,” a Woolworths spokesperson said.
“We encourage shoppers to be mindful of others and continue to only buy what they normally would.”
During the COVID pandemic, limits imposed by retailers on pantry staples led to a rush of shoppers wanting to stock up ahead of lockdowns.
“The only reason they’ve got those limits in place is to stop someone, for example, in a commercial capacity whether it’s a bakery, buying the lot,” Mr McMonnies said.
Flock expansion
For farms affected by avian influenza and subsequent bird culls, flock rebuilding is expected to continue well into next year.
Tasmania’s largest commercial producer, Pure Foods Eggs, supplies 60 per cent of the local market.
The business has recently added 20,000 free-range birds to its flock at Longford, in the state’s northern Midlands.
“They will start to lay in four weeks and this should help ease some of the empty shelves,” chief executive Laura Manion said.
Ms Manion said Tasmania’s egg shortage showed the state’s reliance on interstate products.
Mr McMonnies suggested customers look to other retailers, such as butchers, for eggs.
“I’m expecting, with great effort being made to increase supply across the industry, we will see some form of relief by spring,” he said.
“I reckon we’ll save Christmas. There will be pavlova.”
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