'Fund cut' made, wondered whether egg prices will increase during Ramadan
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The recent bird flu outbreak in the US has negatively impacted egg supply across the country. Product prices increased by 15.2 percent on a monthly basis in January, marking the largest price increase since June 2015. The annual price increase in that month was 53 percent.
Following these developments, the US has accelerated its egg imports. In this context, eggs are also requested from Turkey, and 15,000 tons of eggs are planned to be sent to this country by June.
In Turkey, some measures have been put into effect to maintain the supply, demand and price balance in the domestic market. In this context, the Presidential Decree regarding the implementation of a deduction of 50 cents in Turkish lira per kilogram in table egg exports within the scope of the Support and Price Stability Fund (DFIF) was published in the Official Gazette.
PRODUCTION HAS INCREASED IN THE LAST 5 YEARSAccording to the compilation made by AA correspondent from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) data, more than 100 billion eggs were produced in the country in the 5 years covering the 2020-2024 period.
Production was 19.8 billion in 2020, 19.3 billion in 2021, and 19.8 billion in 2022. This production exceeded 20 billion in the following years, reaching 20.6 billion in 2023 and 21.2 billion last year.
During this period, foreign trade of non-hatching and non-breeding chicken eggs followed a fluctuating course. Egg exports exceeded 1 billion dollars in the 5 years in question. Exports were calculated as 167.9 million dollars in 2020, 240 million dollars in 2022 and 184.1 million dollars last year. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) was the country to which the most eggs were exported during the said period.
On the other hand, exports to the USA, which has recently experienced difficulties in egg supply, started in 2022. While 5 million 13 thousand dollars of exports were made to this country in 2022, foreign sales reached 2 million 982 thousand dollars in 2023 and 6 million 172 thousand dollars last year.
Imports in the mentioned 5 years were calculated as 407.5 million dollars.
Egg Producers Central Union (YUM-BİR) President İbrahim Afyon, in his assessment to AA correspondent, recalled that it was decided to cut 50 cents per kilogram in table egg exports and made the following statements:
"Following the demand for eggs from the US and Europe, a measure was taken to cut exports so that prices would not increase in the domestic market without reason. This is very normal. We have no problems with our production, it continues to increase. Egg prices are generally determined by perception. We have production to meet the demand in the domestic market. Our priority is to supply products to the domestic market. We produce separately for the domestic market and export."
Pointing out that production decreased slightly due to bird flu in the last months of last year, Afyon said that the production gap that occurred during that period was quickly closed.
Afyon, drawing attention to the fact that some rumors were created for prices to increase in the domestic market before Ramadan, said, "There is no reason for a price increase right now. We do not expect prices to increase during Ramadan either. Exports will not disrupt the balance in the domestic market, prices will not be affected. We currently have a sufficiency of nearly 120 percent. We have capacity. We can increase this to 135 percent in line with the demands."
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