Egg supply shortage feared

Metro Manila, Philippines - The Department of Agriculture (DA) has warned of a potential egg shortage by April but assured the public that steps are being taken to prevent supply and price issues.

“We still have time, so there is a chance we could avert this,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a statement on Friday, Jan. 31.

He explained that supply concerns stemmed from industry losses last year. In the US, a bird flu outbreak led to the culling of millions of egg-laying hens. In the Philippines, oversupply and weak demand caused egg prices to drop, prompting local producers to cull their layers, reducing the population of egg-laying hens, Tiu Laurel recalled.

“To mitigate the risk, the DA is expediting the importation of egg-laying chickens and pushing for immediate approval of avian influenza vaccines by the Food and Drug Administration,” the DA said in a statement.

It added that it is working on securing the P300 million requested by the National Livestock Program to fund vaccine testing, with the possibility of mass inoculation starting as early as March.

Tiu Laurel urged financial institutions, including LandBank and the Development Bank of the Philippines, to fund repopulation efforts.

“The DA’s swift action is intended to stabilize egg production and shield consumers from sharp price increases, ensuring food security in the coming months,” the DA said.