TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan can start cutting back on egg imports after next month, the Council of Agriculture (COA) said Saturday (May 13).
The supply will stabilize so consumers will no longer face shortages while farmers will be able to receive acceptable prices, according to COA Minister Chen Chi-chung (陳吉仲). Taiwan imported tens of millions of eggs over the past two months from at least eight countries, including the United States, Japan, Thailand, Turkey, and Brazil.
Chen said demand in Taiwan stood at 24 million eggs per day, while supply ranged from 300,000 to 500,000, per CNA. While imports were expected to reach a peak in June, they would decline soon after, according to the minister.
He said the number of chickens raised for their eggs already exceeded 31 million. In addition, the COA would help farmers improve the quality of their farms and equipment in order to prevent changing temperatures affecting the production of eggs.
The minister emphasized the importance of a stable supply, hoping to have 30 million eggs available from domestic sources and 30 million through contracts with foreign producers.