March 6, 2012

The EU directive concerning battery cage chickens that entered into force in early 2012 leads to one third of poultry farms in Finland ending their operations which resulted in egg shortage, Lea Lastikka, director of Finland's Poultry Association said.

There are now only 350 poultry farms, compared to almost 600 in 2011. Farms that comply with the directive are being built but they will not be in production before the summer of 2012.

At that time, the supply of eggs will again correspond to demand. In the last four years, egg consumption has increased by almost 10% in Finland. In 2011 alone, consumption increased by 4% from 2010.

Egg producer Munakunta expects consumption to increase also in 2012. There is pressure to raise the price of eggs.