2025-04-19 08:00
publication
2025-04-19 08:00
Both consumption and production of eggs in Poland record increases. The vast majority of consumers when buying eggs pay attention to whether they come from cage farming. Poland is one of the leaders in the production and export of eggs in the EU, but it also has among them the largest share of hens in cage farming. Consumer expectations slowly contribute to changing these statistics.
According to the Association's data, Open Cages in Poland for the purposes of egg production, about 54 million laying hens are maintained. Last year they endured 11 billion eggs. The GUS data cited by the organization indicate that the Polish production of consumer eggs in 2023 increased by almost 900,000 compared to the previous year. pieces. Egg consumption per capita also recorded an increase – 27 pieces, reaching an average of 179 pieces per person per year.
– In terms of the number of worn eggs, we take fifth place in the European Union. About 40 percent from our production It is intended for export. The main export directions are Germany and the Netherlands, although we also export to Great Britain, France, Italy, the Czech Republic or Hungary – says Newseria Information Agency Anna Iżyńska -Omoniuk, a communication manager at the Open Cage Association.
Polish eggs upper
Poland is the second, after the Netherlands, the largest egg exporter in the EU – foreign trade in Polish eggs is worth around 471 million euros. The Association cites the data of the Chief Veterinary Inspectorate that out of the six largest egg producers, Poland has the largest share of cage farming. Currently, it amounts to 67 percent, although in the last 10 years it has fallen by 20 pp. The average for the EU is less than 40 percent.
– Spain is right behind us, but for comparison in neighboring Germany the share of cage farming is only 4 percent. Of the other largest producers, we have, for example, France and Italy, where the share of cage farming is about 30 percent, and the Netherlands, where it is 15 percent. – says the expert of the Open Cages Association.
Biostat research from December 2024 shows that 72 percent consumers pay attention to the living conditions of chickens when buying eggs. According to experts, this indicates an increasingly conscious approach to shopping elections. What's more, only a slightly smaller percentage of respondents is in favor of introducing a ban on the cage breaking of naoski chickens. Eight out of 10 Poles believe that cage farmers do not provide chickens with adequate conditions for life.
– Polish women and Poles strongly oppose keeping the hens in tight cages and we see it both after their general attitude towards this problem, which results from the research of the opinion and after their purchasing decisions – says Anna Iżyńska -Omoniuk.
As the commercial quality inspection of agri -food products (ijhars) reminds, the consumer should pay attention to the markings regarding the burden of chickens and the weight class of chicken eggs – this information must be placed on the packaging, as well as the date of minimal durability. In the course of last year's inspections, Ijhars carried out the quality of egg quality in 96 stores throughout Poland and in 1/3 of commercial facilities had reservations about how to provide information about the product. The inspection also inspected the marking of 318 eggs of eggs with a total number of 58 thousand. pcs. In the case of 86 parties (27 percent), it questioned information and their way of presentation for consumers.
Not a type of farming but feed is the most important price factor
As the expert of the Open Cages Association emphasizes, the type of farming is not the most important factor affecting the prices of eggs in stores is the price of feed, which accounts for up to 60-70 percent. comprehensive price. The cost of energy also has a serious impact, and recently the epidemic of bird flu, which decides the whole herds.
– The type of farming also has some impact on prices, but we see that it is not so big. When we look at the difference between the prices of eggs from individual types of farming, we see that it ranges from a few to about 10 groszy. Also, according to the research of Dutch scientists, the estimated difference in transition from cage farming to mulch farming is about 15 percent, which also coincides with differences in the prices of eggs in the purchase, where it ranges from 10 to 20 percent. – says the expert of the Open Cages Association. – It is worth emphasizing that from the perspective of a hen, the difference between cage and litter is already significant. Maybe littering is not an ideal system, while the chicken can already stretch the wings, bury in the ground or escape from a stronger hen, which in the case of animals building such a complicated social relationships is very important.
Biostat study indicates that 78.4 percent Poles expect that companies that have committed to giving up cage eggs will transparently inform about progress in achieving this goal. He has already been declared over 170 companies, and almost half of them have already fulfilled it.
