News
The poultry sector could face a lengthy recovery following HPAI outbreaks
An egg market analyst says highly pathogenic avian influenza is already causing disruptions to both the global and domestic supply chains.
Brian Moscogiuri with Eggs Unlimited says typically the US exports about 3 percent of total egg production. “With what is happening in terms of bird losses, the US markets have started to rise,” he says. “That potentially begins to price us out of some of those markets and then potentially even opens up the doors for imports down the road if we do get into a situation where we see shortages.”
But, he tells Brownfield, Europe is also dealing with the virus, plus their markets have been disrupted by the Russia/Ukraine war. “Not only can they not export, but they are also actually looking for product potentially to bring in,” he says.
And Moscogiuri says users may have to find alternatives or alternative suppliers. “But it’s going to be challenges for both buyers and sellers of eggs and definitely the producers over next potentially 3 to 6 months,” he says.
He says this round of HPAI has hit differently than it did in 2015, it is presenting earlier, and has been found in all the major flyways in the US.
So far around 10 million layers have been depopulated and Moscogiuri says the length of the recovery will depend on how many total birds are impacted.
