January 16, 2024
Russian egg crisis deepens as imports from Türkiye worsen shortage
Russia is grappling with a worsening egg shortage, further exacerbated by imports from Türkiye, one of its major trading partners and a NATO member, Newsweek reported.
A recent report cites a Russian government official who reveals that over 20% of eggs imported from Turkey are infected with the highly contagious H5N1 avian influenza, along with other perilous ailments such as salmonella and botulism.
The egg crisis has escalated in recent weeks due to a combination of factors, including high inflation and Western sanctions imposed in response to President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, resulting in soaring prices and localised shortages. In November alone, egg prices surged by approximately 40% year-on-year, according to the Russian Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat), with an additional 4.6% month-on-month increase in December.
Russia's attempt to secure emergency egg supplies from Turkey in January seems to have backfired, with the delivery of the first batch raising concerns about bird flu contamination. Approximately 20% of the Turkish eggs in the shipment were found to be infected, prompting Sergei Dankvert, the head of the Federal Agency for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision, to express his concern about the significant percentage.
Dankvert called for the need to ensure consumer safety, acknowledging that some of the contaminated products may have already been sold. The incubation period for bird flu is up to 21 days, prompting authorities to suspend sales to large retail chains while monitoring the situation.
- Newsweek
