Taipei, March 5 (CNA) The wholesale price of domestically-produced eggs will be raised by NT$3 to a new high of N$55 (US$1.80) per catty (600 grams), while the farm gate price of eggs will also rise by NT$3 to NT$45.5 per catty, starting Monday, an egg price review committee said Sunday.
The price hikes, the second time within one month, were made due to an egg supply shortage, according to Chen Chin-ting (陳進丁), the chief executive of the committee formed by members of Taiwan's Poultry Association, which is composed of producers, processors, and sellers of poultry and eggs.
Meanwhile, Chiang Wen-chuan (江文全), deputy head of the Council of Agriculture's (COA) Department of Animal Industry, told CNA that the price adjustments were made as egg suppliers told COA about inadequate supply and a significant increase in demand for eggs on the market.
After the adjustments, the farm price of an egg will be increased by NT$0.3 on average but will still be below NT$5, Chiang noted, expecting the hikes are unlikely to cause a huge impact on the public.
The second batch of 360,000 eggs imported from Australia is expected to arrive in Taiwan next week as part of the COA's effort to import 5 million Australian eggs by the end of March to alleviate a nationwide egg shortage, according to Chiang.
Taiwan has taken delivery of 360,000 eggs of the first batch of Australian eggs last Tuesday.
Egg prices in Taiwan continue to rise due to a shortage resulting from various factors including a high number of molting hens, avian flu epidemics, and higher costs associated with feed.
The farm egg price rose from NT$36.5 per catty in March 2022 to NT$42.5 in July last year, when the wholesale price hit a high of NT$52.
In October last year, the farm price dropped by NT$2 to NT$40.5, while the wholesale price also fell to NT$50.
In February this year, after a discussion on production, marketing, and the market situation between egg sellers and farmers, a consensus on price-raising to reflect soaring costs was reached.
In mid-February, the farm egg price increased by NT$2 to NT$42.5, while the wholesale price rose to NT$52. On Monday, the prices will rise again for the second time in less than one month.
