June 13, 2017

South Korea opens market for Thai eggs

South Korea is set to import eggs from Thailand to ease a shortage following its worst-ever bird-flu outbreak.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said the two countries had finalised the terms of clearing egg imports starting this week including health certificates, Reuters reported.

South Korea has suffered from a bird-flu epidemic since November last year, and has been importing eggs to stabilise rising local egg prices and ease tightening egg supplies.

Earlier this month, the country again raised its highest bird-flu alert following a suspected outbreak of the highly pathogenic strain H5N8 at a chicken farm on Jeju island. It was the first outbreak in two months, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

Following the latest outbreak, concerned authorities started culling around 120,000 birds on the island, The Korea Herald reported.

South Korea has allowed fresh egg imports from seven countries including Australia and Spain. However, it has banned eggs from the US since March 6 after an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H7 avian influenza hit a chicken farm in Tennessee, which was contracted to the US food giant Tyson Foods. 

Reuters reported that the average retail price of 30 eggs was at 7,967 won (US$7.05) as of Thursday, June 8, up 52.7% from a year before. This price was 16.5% lower from 9,543 won ($8.45) on Jan. 12 when the price hit the highest, the report added, citing data from state-run Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Corp.