Supermarkets “suffocating companies” as farmers warn of egg shortages this yr

British free vary and natural egg farmers are contemplating a mass exodus from the business after main supermarkets refused to assist them cowl spiralling feed and power prices.

New information exhibits scores of farms are contemplating stopping manufacturing on the finish of their present flock – a call which may take away a whole bunch of thousands and thousands of eggs from retail cabinets yearly.

Egg producers have been hit with big hikes in manufacturing prices. Feeding hens is now 50% costlier and power costs have risen 40%. Spending on gasoline has grown by 30%, whereas labour and packaging additionally prices greater than it did six months in the past.

However regardless of warnings and pleas for assist from the British Free Vary Egg Producers Affiliation (BFREPA), the UK’s greatest supermarkets have but to extend the worth of free vary and natural eggs to a stage the place many farms can break even.

Stopping manufacturing

BFREPA surveyed egg producers final week and located that 51% of farmers are significantly contemplating stopping manufacturing till the worth they’re paid improves. An additional 18% mentioned they may make their choices on the finish of their present flock. Greater than 70% mentioned they would go away egg manufacturing inside a yr if a worth rise wasn’t forthcoming.

Robert Gooch, CEO of BFREPA, mentioned: “There are clear and apparent value will increase being heaped upon farmers, and retailers merely aren’t sufficiently adjusting the retail worth. Any will increase being made are too little and too sluggish. They’re suffocating companies.

“That is nothing greater than supermarkets placing low cost meals advertising ways above the wants of the first producer.

“We’ve requested each main retailer to extend the worth of free vary eggs by not less than 40p per dozen – natural eggs want a rise nearer to 80p per dozen. Solely two retailers had the decency to acknowledge our request, and never one has achieved sufficient to satisfy the extra prices of manufacturing eggs throughout this disaster.

“Lots of my members are dropping cash on each egg laid, and our information exhibits that even those that are making a small revenue don’t see a long-term future. The urge for food for eggs from the general public is extraordinary, however I’m afraid we are going to see shortages of British free vary and natural eggs on the cabinets earlier than lengthy.”

BFREPA says it has requested Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Aldi, Lidl, Marks and Spencer, and Waitrose for assist – with out success – and that they’re the one ones within the provide chain who could make a distinction.

The organisation has known as a Disaster Summit on the Pig and Poultry Honest on 10 Might and invited representatives from every retailer to attend to debate methods to resolve the problem.

BFREPA’s survey of member intentions means that 51% of farms are contemplating not restocking. The nationwide free vary and natural flock stands at about 27.7m, producing greater than 8.5billion eggs a yr.