Maria Eracleous
Andreas Hadjiadamos, executive secretary of the supermarket association, and Marios Antoniou, secretary general of the Pancyprian retail association, both appeared reassuring about market egg shortages.
According to 'K,' the product is not missing from supermarkets and food retail outlets, but there are fewer quantities available in some cases.
It is estimated that approximately 150 million eggs are consumed annually on the Cypriot market, with domestic production covering 70% and imports covering 30%.
But what is causing the scarcity of eggs in the market?
According to Mr. Hadjiadamos, a number of production units in Europe are dealing with diseases affecting poultry populations. Simultaneously, there are significant delays in the transport of poultry, resulting in fewer numbers being imported into the Cypriot market.
Petros Mintikkis, president of the poultry farmers' association, attributed the lower imports to a reduction in production in European units due to increased costs.
He stated that there have been cases of avian influenza in several European countries since March, resulting in the loss of a significant number of birds, primarily for security reasons.
As a result, those who trade in eggs can no longer easily find them on the market, and poultry prices are rising as a result of reduced supply and increased production costs. As a result, it is expected that these costs will be reflected in the final product, with the price of eggs on the Cypriot market increasing by 10-20% over current prices.
In terms of market sufficiency, it is expected that the problem will gradually improve over the next 1-2 months, as tourist flows and thus domestic consumption decline.
It is estimated that approximately 150 million eggs are consumed annually on the Cypriot market, with domestic production covering 70% and imports covering 30%.
Product availability on the market
Mr. Antoniou, for his part, stated that any shortages are limited to this specific product because no problems have been reported with other products.
Consumers may notice that specific brands are not readily available on supermarket shelves, but in any case, there are other options. This is a 'gap' in the market caused by the pandemic and the deregulation it has caused in the smooth operation of global trade and the supply chain on a global scale.
