Avian Flu Outbreak May Cause Egg Shortage Worldwide and Prices Could Rise in Brazil

Avian Influenza Is Impacting Markets in Countries Such as the USA, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and Others. Consequently, a Possible Egg Shortage Is Coming, Leaving Brazilians Increasingly Concerned.

Consumers in countries such as the United Kingdom, Portugal, New Zealand, and the United States have a new concern: the lack of chicken eggs on supermarket shelves. The absence of this product on a global scale has several explanations. One of them is the avian influenza, a highly contagious viral disease that affects various species of birds that produce food such as chickens, turkeys, quails, among others.

Egg Shortage in Each Country

In Europe, the egg shortage is another effect of the war between Russia and Ukraine, which has also created concerns about gas supply throughout the winter. The rising costs of electricity and grains, combined with the outbreak of avian influenza on the continent, impacts food supply. In addition to Europe, the outbreak also affects supply in the United States.

With the reduction in supply, the number of seizures of smuggled eggs from Mexico has increased. For now, there are no cases of avian influenza in Brazil and, therefore, the expectation is that there will be no shortage, but prices may fluctuate due to the lower production anticipated for 2023.

In New Zealand, the absence of eggs is explained by the gradual process of phasing out cage farming. This initiative began about 11 years ago and led to increased production costs, not matched by demand growth.

Brazil Has Barriers Against Avian Influenza

Last week, Augusto Omena, president of the Amazon Agricultural and Forest Defense Agency (Adaf), reported that the state is on alert with barriers and a complete animal health surveillance structure to prevent avian influenza from entering Brazil, thus generating an egg shortage.

Omena emphasizes that Governor Wilson Lima, upon being informed by the ministry about cases in neighboring countries, determined that all strategies should be adopted to prevent the disease from reaching the country through the borders. Immediately, the president of Adaf sent technicians to collect blood samples from 102 farms in 25 municipalities in Amazonas.

In November of last year, cases of Avian Influenza (AI) were detected in Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Chile, increasing the level of attention to the disease in Amazonas. As soon as the disease was confirmed in neighboring countries, a team of agricultural inspectors, consisting of veterinarians from Adaf, was formed to actively monitor Tonantins, Amaturá, Santo Antônio do Içá, Benjamin Constant, São Paulo de Olivença, Tabatinga, and Atalaia do Norte, which make up the border area of the country with other affected countries.

What Are the Collected Materials For?

A total of 25 cities in the state were selected by Mapa, and the action fulfills the Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease Surveillance Plan. The collection of materials aims to enable early detection of cases of Avian Influenza (AI) and Newcastle Disease (ND) in wild and domestic bird populations.

Moreover, the collection aims to demonstrate the absence of these diseases in industrial poultry farming, according to international surveillance guidelines for commercial purposes and also for monitoring the occurrence of viral strains of avian influenza, to support animal and public health strategies.

Adaf will initiate the vaccination campaign “Amazon Without Foot-and-Mouth Disease,” and according to information from the president of the agency, it has the support of the Central Laboratory of the Health Surveillance Foundation (FVS) for the preservation of these samples.

It is important to mention that, occasionally, the disease affects humans, potentially even causing death. Normally, avian influenza infects people with direct contact with sick animals, such as professionals who work on farms.