According to media reports, U.S. officials are trying to find sources of imported eggs overseas to alleviate domestic shortages. Currently, this shortage has caused egg prices in the United States to skyrocket, and the increase has significantly exceeded that of other countries. Poultry trade groups from major egg exporting countries such as Poland, as well as countries with smaller export volumes such as France and Indonesia, said they had received inquiries from the U.S. Embassy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture about egg exports.
This shows that the United States is willing to make great efforts to increase domestic supply. In recent years, the United States has suffered its worst bird flu outbreak in history, killing millions of hens and doubling the retail price of eggs year-on-year, exacerbating broader inflation.
Last month, U.S. President Trump mentioned the egg price issue at a cabinet meeting, calling it a "disaster." New Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins admitted that during the Easter period on April 20, U.S. egg prices may be difficult to stabilize due to increased demand.
Rawlings once revealed that the United States is negotiating with many countries on import matters. But current facts prove that this may not be an easy task. First, eggs’ short shelf life and fragile shells make them difficult to transport. In addition, even large exporting countries do not always have surpluses for distribution.
Thomas Bartlett, secretary-general of the French egg industry organization SNIPO, told the media, "Our response to the USDA is that there are no products available in France and very few in Europe." Government data shows that wholesale egg prices in the EU have also recently reached a two-year high.
In addition, animal products such as eggs are often subject to stricter trade requirements than crops such as grains and sugar, as some countries are also battling their own versions of avian influenza. Bartlett said an outbreak of avian influenza in the EU was also causing shortages in France.
Some countries also say they need to crack, dry or freeze the eggs before selling them overseas.
Katarzyna Gawronska, president of the National Chamber of Poultry and Feed Producers in Poland, the world's second largest egg exporter, said the U.S. Embassy contacted the association last week.
She added, "We informed the United States that it is possible to export shell eggs, but in limited quantities, while it is possible to export large quantities of processed egg products."
Differences in standards for cleaning or handling of eggs, which also require a license, are another barrier to trade, Gawronska explained. She said Poland has the health certificates needed for eggs to be processed in the United States, but not for retail sale in stores.
Last week it was reported that the United States plans to restore the egg product import license of the Netherlands, the world's largest exporter. At the same time, the United States is also turning to Türkiye, the third largest exporter, but Turkey has announced a tax on egg exports to help control its domestic prices.
Spanish supplier group Inovo said it was trying to determine how many eggs it could export to the United States and was discussing health certification with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Indonesian Poultry Farmers Association has also received inquiries from the USDA regarding its interest in exporting.
Nan-Dirk Mulder, an expert at Rabobank, said that although the high price of U.S. eggs brings opportunities, only 3% of the world's egg supply enters global trade. "This is a very localized industry, and in the short term it's almost impossible for the U.S. to balance the market with imports alone."