February 3, 2025 | 12:00am

Philippine Egg Board Allays Concerns Over Potential Egg Shortage

MANILA, Philippines — Despite recent fears of an egg shortage, Philippine egg producers have reassured the public that there will be no supply issues. According to the Philippine Egg Board Association (PEBA), egg production is expected to exceed last year’s total output, particularly in the first quarter of 2025.

Egg Producers Forecast a 15% Increase in First Quarter

Francis Uyehara, the president of the PEBA, stated in a recent interview, “For the first quarter of 2025 alone, we anticipate a 15 percent increase in egg production. We don’t have a shortage of table eggs in April or May, and we are actually expecting an oversupply this year as our production will surpass last year’s levels.”

Meeting With Agriculture Secretary Planned

Uyehara also mentioned plans to meet with Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. to address the issue. “We don’t know who disseminated that information to the Secretary. We regularly consult with him and the Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. about this issue, so the source of the information is unclear to us. We were as surprised by the news of a possible egg shortage as the public,” he explained.

Warning Against Speculative Price Increases

The PEBA president warned against traders taking advantage of the perceived scarcity to increase egg prices unnecessarily. “The farmgate price of medium-sized eggs currently ranges from P5.60 to P6.40 per piece, and the retail price should not exceed P8 per piece,” he said.

Market monitoring by the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Metro Manila shows that the retail price of medium-sized eggs is between P7.30 and P9 per piece.

Recovery in Egg Production

Uyehara noted that farmers faced significant losses last summer in 2024, reducing their production in June, July, August, and September. As egg prices began to rise, producers increased production to meet holiday demand starting from November 2024.

“Since January 2025, there has been an oversupply of eggs as consumption dropped after the Christmas season,” Uyehara added. He also reported a decrease of P1 per piece in the farmgate price after the December 2024 demand surge.

Bird Flu Impact Minimal

Despite bird flu outbreaks in Europe and the United States, which are sources of the parent stock layers, Uyehara stated that the pandemic will have a minimal impact on this year’s production. “Egg producers were able to import at least 700,000 parent stocks last year, ensuring sufficient supply,” he said.

Need for Avian Influenza Vaccine

Uyehara emphasized the need to expedite the approval of the avian influenza vaccine to safeguard the poultry population.

Pork Price Stability: National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. Speaks

No Need for Maximum Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) on Pork

Alfred Ng, vice-chairman of the National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. (NatFed), expressed that implementing an MSRP on pork is unnecessary. “The DA is considering this measure, but the MSRP hasn’t proven effective in lowering retail prices of farm products,” he explained.

Farmgate vs Retail Price Disconnect

Ng pointed out a significant gap between the farmgate and retail prices of pork. “The farmgate price only ranges from P220 to P240 per kilo, but the DA monitors the retail price at up to P460 per kilo,” he said. He attributed the high retail price to traders seeking additional profits.

Midterm Elections Drive Pork Demand

The demand for pork is expected to remain high through May and June due to the upcoming midterm elections. “During this campaign period, politicians allocate funds, and people have extra money to spend on pork,” Ng noted.

Repopulation Efforts

Ng also reported that hog producers, particularly in Batangas, are replanting their herds following the impacts of African swine fever last year. “This should help stabilize and eventually reduce retail prices as production increases,” he said.