A third of farmers surveyed in recent days by trade body the British Free Range Egg Producers Association (BFREPA) said they had reduced the number of hens in their flock because egg prices meant they could not cover costs their. Meanwhile, a quarter of the 165 farmers who responded told BFREPA that they had stopped production either temporarily or permanently. Farmers are struggling with rising costs, including the price of feed for their hens, as well as higher energy and transport bills. The association represents around 550 egg businesses, which account for around 70% of the UK’s free range and organic egg production, supplying the country’s biggest retailers. Several respondents who had reduced their herd said they were “seriously considering not restocking,” while another farmer added “trying to cut costs to survive.” In March, the egg industry called on the UK’s major retailers to raise the price of a dozen eggs by 40p to prevent hundreds of egg producers going out of business. BFREPA said the average egg price had since risen by around 45p, but only a quarter of that – between 9p and 10p – had been passed on to farmers, not enough to cover their higher costs. Egg industry body the British Egg Industry Council said cost pressures had led to a temporary reduction in the size of the UK flock, but it expected numbers to rise again as cost pressures eased. He said pressure on egg supply had been caused by a number of factors: “These include the hens that were lost as a result of bird flu. Production costs are rising, meaning producers are struggling to break even. a decline in the number of hen colonies as retailers move in the cage-free direction. and strong consumer demand.” The council added that the industry is working closely with retailers to ensure producers can meet consumer demand. The Guardian understands that supermarkets are not facing immediate egg shortages. Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, said retailers were managing their supply chains and continuing to “work hard to ensure minimal impact on customers despite ongoing supply chain pressures”. Subscribe to Business Today Get ready for the business day – we’ll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. The cost pressures come as producers grapple with the UK’s biggest outbreak of bird flu, raising concerns about reduced production. Keeping chickens indoors also results in additional costs for farmers. The outbreak, which has been going on for more than a year, has accelerated in recent weeks, with nearly 100 confirmed cases of H5N1 bird flu since early October. Officials said the disease circulates among wild birds but is fatal to captive birds, including hens and turkeys. Any outbreak is also devastating to farmers as it causes the remaining birds on the site to be slaughtered. In an effort to limit the spread of bird flu, poultry and other captive birds in England are required by law to be housed in closed areas for an indefinite period of time. An extended housing order may also result in free-range eggs being relabeled for sale. UK law states that eggs can still be marketed as free range for the first 16 weeks of a housing order. If the hens are still required to be housed indoors after this time, the eggs should be relabeled as “barn eggs.”
