TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Ministry of Agriculture announced on Tuesday (June 18) its plan to cull 1.8 million old hens each month starting in late June to address the egg oversupply.
The ministry aims to reduce daily egg production to approximately 120,000 crates. Despite supermarket egg prices dropping to NT＄50 per box, the oversupply issue persists with high stock levels.
Lin Tien-lai, chairman of the Taipei Egg Retailers' Association, noted the market is still under selling pressure, and a decision on further price cuts has not been made.
Last week, the MOA Department of Animal Industry discussed production reduction measures with egg farmers, retailers, the National Animal Industry Foundation, and slaughterhouse operators.
They plan to increase the monthly cull from 1.2 million to 1.8 million hens, aiming to decrease the daily production from 121,600 crates to around 120,000 and reduce the number of egg-laying hens from 35.7 million to approximately 33 to 34 million.
Additionally, the department will offer an extra NT＄10 per hen to encourage more culling.
The MOA clarified that egg prices are set by the industry. Several reductions brought the production price to NT＄27.5 per Taiwanese catty and the wholesale price to NT＄37 per Taiwanese catty. The lowest production price in the past four years was NT＄23.5 per Taiwanese catty in October 2021.
