There could be a shortage of Irish free-range eggs on shop shelves unless a more realistic premium is passed back to egg producers, Brendan Soden Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) poultry chair has said.

Farmers only receive a premium of 4c per dozen, 0.3c per egg, to produce free-range in comparison to barn eggs, according to Teagasc figures. This results in 3% of the premium paid by the consumer, Soden outlined.

Free-range eggs account for 45.3% of all eggs produced in Ireland, therefore it’s evident that they are a product consumers seek, Soden explained.

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Greater risks and costs

The risk and costs associated with producing free-range eggs are much greater than producing barn eggs.

“Free-range producers are battling a great threat of Avian influenza, while extra labour and costs are incurred due to land upkeep,” he said.

Soden said that this has been realised at retail level, but producers have still not seen a sustainable price return to farmgate.

The IFA are continuing to seek a 2c per egg increase for free-range eggs which has remained unanswered.

“Producers want to continue supplying quality Irish free-range egg to Irish consumers but they may be left with little option but to close the doors and take a step backwards to barn egg production,” the IFA poultry chair stated.

“If significant progress is not made immediately the farmers are poised to strike out to protect the industry they have built.”