Austria's egg excellence: ensuring local quality for the Easter holidays!

Austria's egg excellence: ensuring local quality for the Easter holidays!

In the midst of preparations for the upcoming Easter holidays, Josef Moosbrugger, President of the Austrian Chamber of Agriculture, emphasizes the importance of keeping laying hens at home. Given the inquiries from the US about importing eggs from Europe, Moosbrugger emphasizes that quality and regional supply are of utmost importance. “We have to put local origin first when buying (Easter) eggs,” he explains, in order to ensure the high standards of Austrian agriculture. Such efforts are not only crucial for the quality of our products, but also for the long-term security of supply in the country. The domestic market can currently still be sufficiently supplied with eggs, but comprehensive measures are required to maintain our own supply, Moosbrugger continued.

How modern-landwirt.de reported, the annual per capita consumption of eggs fell slightly by three eggs to 230 eggs in 2022. This is the lowest value in five years. Nevertheless, the self-sufficiency level of 76 percent, the highest level since 1992, shows that significant progress has been made. However, rising retail prices have led to consumer reluctance and supply in the low-price segment has temporarily become scarce. The increased export of egg products, which increased by 13 percent in 2022, also received particular attention.

Challenges for agriculture

Moosbrugger emphasizes that self-sufficiency is a valuable asset that needs to be actively managed. Agriculture faces a variety of challenges, ranging from climate-related issues to financial burdens. In order to ensure the quality of domestic products and strengthen the visibility of responsibility in value creation, fair pricing and legal planning security are essential. “It is up to all of us to actively shape the future of agriculture and support local businesses,” appeals Moosbrugger.