The price of poultry and livestock feed keeps rising, and the feed of laying hens has risen 4 times in a row, and the cost of feeding has increased by 36%, which is reflected in the selling price. Currently, white eggs are 42 to 44 yuan per catty, and the shipping fee for each catty to the north is increased by 5 yuan. Consumers in Greater Taipei bought white eggs ranging from 47 yuan to 49 yuan. In Changhua County, the country's largest production area, farmers raising layer chickens were notified by feed manufacturers that there was a fifth wave of price increases. Farmers were all complaining.
A farmer surnamed Chen in Changhua County said that from mid-May to early September last year, the local Covid-19 epidemic intensified, restaurants were closed, schools were closed, egg consumption dropped sharply, but feed costs quietly increased slightly, selling eggs made a small profit It became a profit and loss tie, and later sold at a loss of 1 to 2 yuan per catty.
A farmer surnamed Chen said that in the second half of last year, the cost of feed increased repeatedly. The cost price of white eggs was originally 26 yuan per catty, but now it costs 31 to 32 yuan, and egg farmers sell them at 34 to 36 yuan per catty. There is a profit, and the dealers resell the price difference layer by layer. At the consumer end, it has reached 42 to 44 yuan per catty. Farmers are quite worried that the price of eggs will rise, and public consumption may shrink.
"The worst thing is that the egg production rate of laying hens has dropped, and no clear reason has been found so far." The farmer surnamed Chen said that in the past, 30,000 laying hens could pick up 125 boxes of eggs, but in the past year it has dropped to a maximum of 90 boxes of eggs. , may be related to the climate and medication. The recent spread of bird flu has increased the pressure on egg farmers. As long as the test is positive, the whole field will be culled, and even a box of eggs is gone. Therefore, I dare not open the curtain to ventilate easily. Wild birds come in to spread the virus, and they are also afraid that the virus will float in with the air.
The farmer surnamed Zeng pointed out that the feed for laying hens has been raised four times, from 11 yuan to 15 yuan, and the egg price of white eggs has climbed all the way to 42 yuan to 44 yuan. When it reaches 16 to 17 yuan, the cost of feeding will be raised, and the price of white eggs will increase accordingly.
The farmer surnamed Zeng also said that Changhua County is the largest production area in the country. The price difference between direct sales from the production area to the retail market is about 10 yuan, and the shipping fee to the greater Taipei area is 5 yuan per catty. In the Taipei area, the purchase price is 47 yuan. The Changhua retail market for top-quality white eggs is 44 yuan per catty. Some vendors in Taipei think that consumers don’t care about 1 yuan, and retail at 50 yuan per catty. The price of red eggs has always been two yuan more expensive than white eggs. , and so on, so consumers in Changhua, the place of origin, can buy cheaper white eggs.
Source: https://udn.com/news/story/7266/6047661