As reported by The Daily Mail, Australian poultry farmers have serious doubts if free-range eggs would be able to keep up with market demand for eggs in Australia. This is because the country recently declared that it would do away with battery cages for hens in the next 14 years, and set into motion a directive that would see caged eggs being banned.
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Australia’s ban on hen cages
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, earlier this month the Department of Agriculture came up with new animal welfare standards, which set 2036 as the clear end date for the use of battery cages.
As per a statement by the department,
The standards are underpinned by a review of the relevant scientific literature, recommended industry practice and community expectations.
The new standards will also assure Australia’s trading partners that we have strong standards of animal welfare.
These battery cages are extremely small, with their size being less that an A4 sized paper. The hens cannot stretch their wings, perch, or scratch themselves. The cages were already banned in the European Union in 1999 and in the UK in 2012.
According to the report, the market for cage eggs have already been in decline due to people and businesses moving away from it.
Inability of free-range hens to supply the market
Currently, in Australia, about 36% of the eggs sold are cage eggs. According to The Daily Mail report, Australian farmers have stated that the current measures could lead to a shortage of eggs in the market.
An egg shortage is already underway in Australia with supermarkets introducing limits on the maximum number of eggs that could be purchased by customers. Thus, the looming ban on cage eggs could just exacerbate the egg supply.
Commercial Egg Producers Association of WA president Ian Wilson is quoted as saying,
We struggle at the minute to have enough eggs on the shelves.
By phasing out the cages that's going to take away more eggs that are able to be presented to the public.
The shortage of eggs is due to farmers cutting their poultry flock by about 20% after demand for eggs dipped once Covid-19 lockdowns were over. The shortage could last for months but stores are doing all in their power to bring the supply of eggs up to speed.
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