TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan on Wednesday (Feb. 16) announced plans to import eggs from Japanese prefectures free from bird flu as egg supply woes continue to bite.

The Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine said Japanese eggs will be imported until March 31, having assessed the risk by factoring in World Organization for Animal Health protocols and Japan’s transparency in managing avian flu outbreaks.

The agency assured the public that Japanese eggs will not be cleared without proper safety inspections. The arrangement will be made in line with relevant regulations, including the Statute for Prevention and Control of Infectious Animal Diseases.

Earlier this month, the Council of Agriculture (COA) noted it’s importing at least 10 shipping containers of eggs from overseas, with each holding 10,000 crates. These will be used for processed foods, per CNA.

The price of imports from Australia, the U.S., and Japan are likely to be NT$4 (US$0.14), NT$5.5, and NT$10 per egg, respectively. Australia would be the most ideal source considering the risk of avian flu and Newcastle disease is lower compared to the U.S. and Japan, the COA added.

Taiwan has been grappling with a scarcity of eggs since January due to factors spanning COVID-19, weather, and logistics issues. As local farms ramp up production, the cruel practice of forced molting at farms in central Taiwan was recently brought to light.