Egg crisis in Germany: expensive pleasure or lack of care?

Egg crisis in Germany: expensive pleasure or lack of care?

In Germany, there is an egg shortage that could lead to high prices and changed availability. According to Pfalz-Express , the causes are multi-layered and range from agricultural challenges to environmental protection measures.

More and more Dutch farmers give up their chicken farms, which significantly reduces egg production. A fifth of egg imports from the Netherlands could be eliminated. Hans-Peter Goldnick, President of the Federal Association of EI, explains that this corresponds to about five percent of the total egg market in Germany. It is particularly alarming that around 13 million eggs come to Germany from the Netherlands every day.

environmental requirements and peasant death

The giving up of the companies does not happen deliberately; The Dutch government pays the farmers to close their farms to protect the environment. The groundwater, the climate and the wildlife damage too much nitrogen from agriculture. In order to compensate for the loss of eggs, Germany would have to keep almost two million additional hens. This is difficult because the construction of new chicken traps is often hindered by residents' protests.

currently Germany only supplies around 73 percent with eggs. This could lead to increasing demand and consequently to higher prices, especially for finished products such as cakes and sauces, which are often in demand at the time of the Easter preparations.

market analysis and price development

Although the prices have risen for eggs, industry experts see no acute danger to egg supply at Easter, reports rbb24 . Lasse Brandt, head of the Hoppenrade egg pack station, points out that the demand for Christmas remained unusually high, while production was restricted in the first quarter. This was done to score older laying hens.

Goldnick explains that the price increases are primarily due to a lower offer and special problems in chicken stables. There were also bird flu outbreaks in Europe, which led to forced battle and also fewer eggs. The annual demand per capita has increased from 238 to 244 eggs, which corresponds to a total of around 640 million additional eggs.

Nevertheless, Goldnick emphasizes that there is no egg emergency because large food chains have long -term delivery contracts. Price jumps can be observed in particular on the spot market, while end consumers often know little of this. The US market recently showed similarly volatile price developments, but this is not the main reason for the price increases in Germany.

The situation requires careful action by consumers. Goldnick warns of overreactions that could lead to empty markets. In this case, smaller and regional providers could step in to maintain the supply. Meanwhile, the German egg sales company reports an all -time price high and speaks of an increasing appeal to protect constant stocks against bird flu.