The Price Of Eggs Could Be On The Rise And It Could Be Down To The Low Harvest Of Maize

The price of eggs could be on the rise and it could be down to the low harvest of maize. Poultry producers may now need to import grain for feed, and a price spike could impact the cost of chicken or eggs. Rabobank senior grains analyst Dennis Voznesenski says global maize prices increased 14% in the last ten days. The increase was due Russia refusing to renew a deal that would allow Ukrainian wheat to be exported through a specific trade route. In the five years before the war Ukraine accounted for almost 15% of global exports, exporting just under 26 million tonnes of maize annually. Executive director at the Poultry Industry Association of New Zealand Michael Brooks says general inflation and grain prices remain a major factor influencing egg prices. The size of the New Zealand egg producing chicken flock also had an effect on egg prices, Brooks said. Michael Brooks says the country has about 3.5 million egg laying hens, but needs about 3.8m to assure a constant supply of eggs.