Egg production in Russia has continued to trend lower for a sixth straight month, with January and February results showing a 1.8 percent year-on-year decline and a total of 6.11 billion eggs produced. Industry reports indicate this pattern mirrors broader sector challenges, largely driven by health disruptions within flocks. (attribution: Kommersant)
Analysts identify the fallout from avian influenza outbreaks as the main factor behind reduced output. Despite tighter supplies, major retailers have not yet seen prices rise in step with inventories, as consumer demand remains steady. Market observers believe the Easter period could test the resilience of demand when supply tightens. (attribution: Russian Poultry Association, market analysts)
February alone saw production fall 1.5 percent year-on-year and decline 7.5 percent from the previous month, totaling 29.3 billion eggs. The association’s General Director did not comment on the February figures. (attribution: Russian Poultry Association)
Since September 2023, egg production has lagged behind the previous year, while price pressures have become more evident for this staple. Across January-December 2023, average consumer prices rose about 1.6 times, reaching 132.45 rubles per ten eggs. (attribution: Rosstat)
President Vladimir Putin framed the price movements as indicative of a policy shortcoming, suggesting that demand increases stem from constrained supply. (attribution: Kremlin statements, market commentary)
To stabilize the market, the government introduced duty-free import quotas totaling 1.2 billion eggs for the current year. (attribution: Ministry of Economic Development, agricultural policy notes)
The Ministry of Agriculture has outlined plans to boost production and move producers and retailers toward longer-term contracts. Overall egg production rose by 1.8 percent in the previous year, reaching 38.05 billion eggs. Rosstat reports that retail prices for chicken eggs in February 2024 averaged 129.17 rubles per ten eggs. (attribution: Rosstat, Ministry of Agriculture)
Albert Davleev of Agrifood Strategies links the output decline to bird flu outbreaks, noting a recent case at Vladimirskaya poultry farm in the Astrakhan region in January. He emphasizes that egg-focused facilities tend to be more vulnerable to avian influenza than meat-focused operations. (attribution: Agrifood Strategies)
Sergei Yushin of the National Meat Association notes that not all farms identified with bird flu in 2023 resumed operations, a recovery that can take months to a year and a half. (attribution: National Meat Association)
Alexey Kletsko of Yakov and Partners expects rehabilitation efforts at facilities affected by bird flu in the Yaroslavl and Vologda regions, along with rising production in Rostov and Leningrad regions, to push output above last year’s levels in the near term. (attribution: Yakov and Partners)
Retailers acknowledge the notable decline in egg supply, yet price impacts remain muted for the moment, suggesting a complex balance between wholesalers, retailers, and consumers. (attribution: market analysis)
Russians have begun asking about the safety of eggs with visible blood spots in the yolk and whether such eggs should be consumed. Health authorities advise that such occurrences are generally harmless and do not affect the egg’s safety, though producers monitor quality closely. (attribution: consumer health guidance, egg safety resources)