Every morning in South Africa, millions of people wake up to bad news: eggs are becoming increasingly rare on supermarket shelves. An outbreak of bird flu has ravaged chicken farms and forced authorities to cull more than 5 million laying hens to prevent the spread of the virus. This unprecedented crisis has had a disastrous impact on the supply of eggs, leaving consumers desperate and traders struggling to meet the growing demand.
In many supermarkets, the egg aisles are now empty, with a few remaining boxes disappearing in just a few minutes. Prices have also seen a significant rise, driving up the cost of eggs significantly. Consumers are complaining about this situation, feeling trapped by insufficient supplies and exorbitant prices. Some even opted to move on, preferring to forgo their usual breakfast rather than pay indecent prices for eggs.
Traders themselves face a difficult dilemma. Some supermarkets are trying to import eggs from neighboring countries to meet customer demand, but this is not enough to fill the gap left by the disappearance of South African eggs. Bakers are also affected, as they can no longer offer products containing eggs due to lack of supply. This situation is a real blow to their business, forcing them to find alternatives and rethink their recipes.
But the crisis does not end there. Poultry meat could soon start to become scarce. More than 2 million breeding hens have been culled to prevent the spread of the virus, meaning poultry meat production will also be hit hard. Consumers can therefore expect supply difficulties and a likely increase in poultry meat prices in the coming days.
This avian flu crisis highlights the fragility of South Africa’s food supply chain and highlights the importance of putting preventative measures in place to combat such outbreaks in the future. The authorities must find solutions to ensure sufficient production of eggs and poultry meat, while maintaining the health and safety of farms. In the meantime, South African consumers will need to prepare for egg-free breakfasts and perhaps poultry-based alternatives in the coming weeks.