TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Some consumers may have noticed that their local supermarkets and a few traditional markets were out of eggs on Feb. 5, sparking fears of another egg shortage similar to one experienced last year.

Back in 2022, there was an outbreak of avian flu which throttled the supply of domestic eggs. Furthermore, the egg production industry was already brittle due to higher feed prices caused by supply chain disruptions due to COVID.

According to a recent UDN report, the main culprit behind this year's egg shortage is much the same as it was a year ago. Namely, winter weather causes hens to become more prone to the flu. With many hens sickened, leading to molting or loss of feathers, mass culls have been in the works at farms in southern and central Taiwan.

But Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture said there is little to worry about as the avian flu outbreak is largely under control and contained at just a few farms. Furthermore, it added that retail-grade washed eggs have been restocked at most stores though wholesale channels remain relatively tight.

Meanwhile, in the U.K. and U.S., many consumers continue to face empty shelves where they used to find a variety of eggs. Egg producers have not been able to get back on track after repeated avian flu epidemics and higher costs associated with feed. In Japan, consumers have had to endure price hikes.

Coincidentally, Lunar New Year is also the time when poultry farmers begin to retire old hens with younger replacements. Eggs produced by older hens are typically of lower quality and not sent for the cleaning and washing that is required for the consumer retail market.

Instead, they are delivered in big batches to large companies like bakeries, according to Animal Husbandry Department Deputy Director Chiang Wen-chuan (江文全). He believes that current supply problems are associated with a transition from older hens to younger hens who will soon make up for the current egg shortage.

According to information released by the Council of Agriculture, current daily egg production in Taiwan is about 116,000 to 117,000 boxes (200 eggs per box). Following the Lunar New Year, demand for eggs has been estimated to be about 118,000 to 120,000 boxes per day, leaving a shortage of about 1,000 to 2,000 boxes.

A UDN reporter who visited a number of hypermarkets and supermarkets said the supply of low-cost eggs priced at about NT$60 (US$2) per dozen did not seem to be lacking. A clerk at Carrefour said there were fewer eggs and restocking was taking place as soon as the eggs arrived. A similar situation was also occurring at PX Mart.

For the time being, Taiwan's egg supply may find itself at an uneasy balancing point. It will be up to consumers and middlemen to refrain from practices such as hoarding and price gouging to ensure that the public will not need to scramble to find a stable, affordable supply of fresh eggs.