Major sectors of Europe’s egg production industry are under threat from a combination of welfare legislation and world trade liberalisation, said David Tromans, managing director of Deans Foods.
These changes placed cage egg producers in an impossible position, he told the annual national egg conference at Birmingham.
“The threat of lower import tariffs as a result of the next WTO agreement and shifts in exchange rate could easily put this sector at risk, particularly in the east from countries like the Ukraine.
“What will almost certainly go is the European egg powder industry which will be totally at the mercy of cheaper third country competition. And, if the powder is cheap enough, a large slice of the liquid egg product industry could go as well.”
Both Tromans and independent Scottish producer Moira Henderson pointed out that customers’ preferences, with 70% of fresh egg purchases being cage-based, should be taken into account in framing legislation.
But Andy Lebrecht, food, farming and fisheries director general with DEFRA, pointed out that politicians had to take account of powerful lobby groups such as animal welfarists. It was up to the industry to change public attitudes, he added. “I am not teaching you how to suck eggs, but there is a job for the industry to do.”
These changes placed cage egg producers in an impossible position, he told the annual national egg conference at Birmingham.
“The threat of lower import tariffs as a result of the next WTO agreement and shifts in exchange rate could easily put this sector at risk, particularly in the east from countries like the Ukraine.
“What will almost certainly go is the European egg powder industry which will be totally at the mercy of cheaper third country competition. And, if the powder is cheap enough, a large slice of the liquid egg product industry could go as well.”
Both Tromans and independent Scottish producer Moira Henderson pointed out that customers’ preferences, with 70% of fresh egg purchases being cage-based, should be taken into account in framing legislation.
But Andy Lebrecht, food, farming and fisheries director general with DEFRA, pointed out that politicians had to take account of powerful lobby groups such as animal welfarists. It was up to the industry to change public attitudes, he added. “I am not teaching you how to suck eggs, but there is a job for the industry to do.”
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