Egg shortage in Poland due to bird flu: does it threaten Ukraine
6 November 12:57
FORECAST
In Poland and a number of European countries, there is a shortage of eggs. Due to new outbreaks of bird flu, farmers do not have time to restore their livestock. However, in Ukraine, despite the crisis in the European market, the situation remains stable – no shortage is expected. Read about it in an exclusive commentary
Europe is facing an egg shortage
Two months ago, the National Chamber of Poultry and Feed Producers of Poland predicted stable, albeit high, egg prices by the end of the year.
However, the forecasts did not materialize as the situation deteriorated sharply due to a new wave of bird flu that spread across Poland and other European countries.
According to PolskieRadio24.pl, the shortage of eggs is already noticeable in the wholesale markets, and analysts warn that retail prices will also rise.
Katarzyna Gawronska, director of the Polish National Chamber of Poultry and Feed Producers, explained that the industry did not have time to resume production after previous epidemics, and the current outbreaks have only worsened the situation.
“There are simply no eggs available. We have not been able to restore the livestock after the infectious diseases that destroyed it earlier. It is impossible to restore production potential within a few weeks. In agriculture, it takes months, and now this process has been disrupted again by new outbreaks,” she said.
According to Gavronska, it is also useless to rely on imports, as the whole of Europe is experiencing similar problems – the bird flu is spreading in many countries, including France, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Germany.
Ukraine without a deficit: what producers say
“We do not expect a shortage of eggs on the Ukrainian market,” said Sergiy Karpenko, director of the Ukrainian Poultry Association, in a commentary to
"Komersant Ukrainian"
According to him, industrial production in the country has already recovered to the level of 2021, while the number of consumers, on the contrary, has decreased. This means that domestic demand is fully covered by national production.
The bird flu situation in the country is currently under control.
“Currently, the situation with bird flu in the country is under control, no outbreaks have been recorded. Enterprises are operating in a closed mode, and biosecurity measures have been strengthened,” Karpenko said.
He also noted that if the situation worsens, producers may reduce exports and redirect some products to the domestic market, ensuring stable supplies.
“Currently, the industry’s companies export about 40% of their products to export markets, so even in a critical situation they will be able to reduce exports and supply the domestic market. But we hope it won’t come to that,” the expert added.
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How the situation in Europe can affect Ukraine
Although Ukraine is not currently experiencing a deficit, the European crisis may affect export dynamics.
If EU countries start looking for egg suppliers outside the bloc more actively, Ukrainian products may become even more in demand.
This, in turn, could push up prices on the domestic market.
What’s next
The European egg market is likely to remain tense at least until the spring of 2026, as it will take several months for the livestock to fully recover.
In the meantime, Ukrainian producers hope to maintain stability, both in production and prices.
However, experts remind that the industry is very sensitive to external factors, so even a minor outbreak of bird flu or logistical difficulties can quickly change the situation.
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