The Egg Industry

Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd – in the Senedd at 2:44 pm on 15 February 2023.

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Photo of Peredur Owen Griffiths Peredur Owen Griffiths Plaid Cymru 2:44, 15 February 2023

Most people who have been food shopping in recent months will have noticed a shortage of eggs. Some producers, faced with rising costs and supermarkets that refuse to reflect this in their contracts, are leaving the industry if they can. This was made clear to me by an egg producer in my region during a recent meeting. They told me in no uncertain terms that the egg sector is in deep trouble. Minister, what can be done to get better co-ordination in the supply chain to give our farmers confidence to produce our Welsh eggs? Unless this matter is tackled, we face increased importation of eggs to fill the gap, with no guarantee that they were produced to the same standard and, therefore, free from bacteria like salmonella. It is vital that eggs remain fully traceable as well as affordable, and I would like to know what the Government is doing to address the major problem in the sector.