Many of us wake up to eggs on toast or pick up a bacon and egg roll on our way to work without a thought about the farmers and hens that produce this high protein product. Maybe you enjoy a cake or pav created with eggs for morning tea.
Without rain, crops fail and egg producers are forced to pay exorbitant costs for grain to feed their hens when supply can not meet demand. Grain prices have doubled in the last few years but the return to egg farmers has not increased.
Recently we have seen ads on TV asking people to pay a few more cents for their milk. Australian coffee producers have stated that they are producing below cost and egg producers are no different.
Egg producers predominately sell through supermarkets. Contracts are locked in for a 6 month period so options for variation of pricing or negotiation during this timeframe are not available.
Consumers can help by being conscious of continuing to support egg producers. By picking up a dozen eggs when you shop or purchasing a meal that includes eggs, producers will ensure that egg supplies can continue. Demand for eggs will help to drive a fair return on the hard work undertaken by egg producers.
