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China Leads the Global Market for Eggs and Eggs Products

By Aiko TanakaChina
2 min read
egg production
egg production
In this article (5)

Eggs, an integral part of the banal breakfast menu, are a rich source of protein. Easy and hassle free to make, their demand has seen a phenomenal spike in the past couple of years on account of a burgeoning world population and their rising disposable income. Even the avian flu, which resulted in culling of millions of livestock worldwide, couldn’t hamper the market growth. Today, a wide variety of eggs are found on supermarket shelves. Not just that, discerning palates of demanding consumers have also spawned another market – that of egg products. Made from different components and blends of eggs, they are edible products ready for consumption.

Cage-free Eggs are All the Rage These Days
Reports reveal that around 2 billion eggs are produced in the world in a year. The method of production is, however, set to change.  With growing awareness about the appalling living conditions of the captive egg-laying hens, particularly in developed countries, an outcry has ensued. This has led to a ban on conventional egg farming methods. Fast food giant McDonald, which is one of the biggest egg buyers in the world, pioneered efforts in this direction by announcing in 2015 that it would only use cage-free eggs in all of its US and Canadian restaurants. Other major fast food chains and a handful of multinational food companies followed suit too. This has generated an opportunity for egg producers in Asia and America to fulfill the demand-supply gap created on account of EU nations being unable to carry out the overhaul in logistics and processes involved swift enough.

China the Largest Producer-cum-Consumer of Eggs and Egg Products
China, which had pretty much been powering the global growth up until a while back, has been a leader in the global eggs and egg products market as well. Studies show that it produces around 36% of the 70% eggs produced together by Mexico, Japan, China, U.S., India, Indonesia, Brazil, Mexico, and France. China also consumes around 40% of the global eggs. This is because eggs form a vital part of the average Chinese meal. The eggs are also used as additives and ingredients, nationwide.

Questions & Answers

Q.

What factors have led to the significant increase in demand for eggs and egg products in recent years?

A.

A burgeoning world population and rising disposable incomes have driven the phenomenal spike in demand. Even challenges like the avian flu, which caused widespread culling, did not hinder market growth for these protein-rich foods.

Q.

Why has there been a shift towards cage-free egg production, particularly in developed countries?

A.

Growing awareness about the appalling living conditions of captive egg-laying hens in developed countries has led to an outcry. This public concern has resulted in bans on conventional egg farming methods.

Q.

How did McDonald's influence the adoption of cage-free eggs in the food industry?

A.

McDonald's, a major egg buyer, pioneered the shift by announcing in 2015 that it would exclusively use cage-free eggs in its US and Canadian restaurants. Other fast food chains and multinational food companies subsequently followed this example.

Q.

Which countries are now fulfilling the demand for cage-free eggs, particularly as EU nations face challenges?

A.

Egg producers in Asia and America are currently fulfilling the demand-supply gap for cage-free eggs. This opportunity arose because EU nations have struggled to swiftly overhaul the necessary logistics and processes.

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