Proposal to Halt Egg Production in Poultry Farms Due to Surplus in Iran

An official from the Iran Chamber of Commerce reported that amid rising chicken prices and declining market demand, the issue of surplus chicken and egg production continues. The head of the poultry working group at the Iran Chamber of Commerce also announced ongoing efforts to export this product, including to Russia, which had expressed interest in importing eggs from Iran last year but has strict health regulations. On Friday, July 22, Hossein Mahdizad told ILNA news agency that poultry farmers can rest chickens aged between 65 to 85 weeks for two months to adjust the egg market. According to him, this is a solution adopted by the Poultry and Egg Producers Union and the Ministry of Agriculture to stop egg production in the months of Tir and Mordad. Mahdizad stated that currently, farmers are selling each kilogram of eggs for six thousand tomans less than the approved price of 1401 and are suffering a 'heavy loss.' The increase in the prices of white and red meat and eggs in Iran, alongside other food products, has significantly reduced demand for these items in recent years. The government's inability to increase consumers' purchasing power has led to a sluggish market for these products, which in turn has caused economic losses for food producers, farmers, and livestock breeders. In some online stores that offer goods based on real-time market prices, on Saturday, July 23, the price for a tray of 30 eggs ranged from 98 to 100,000 tomans. Due to the decline in demand for eggs in Iran, there has also been an increased willingness to export this product abroad. However, according to the head of the poultry working group at the Iran Chamber of Commerce, 'Iraq, as the main export market for Iranian eggs, is currently producing its own, and due to the hot weather, domestic demand for eggs has also decreased.' Mahdizad emphasized that egg production needs to be managed in the upcoming two months. Besides Iraq, he identified the Gulf countries and Afghanistan as current destinations for Iranian egg exports. Regarding Russia, which is considered an economic partner of Iran, he stated, 'We are also negotiating with Russia and are confident that there will be good demand for Iranian eggs in Russia.' This comes after in Azar 1402, following the rise in egg prices in Russia due to sanctions against the country, Russian officials announced their decision to import eggs from Turkey and Iran. Mahdizad explained that the reason for the long delay in exporting eggs to Russia is that 'health protocols are more important in exports to Russia than to other countries, and we are working to satisfy the Russians in this regard.' Andrei Slepnev, the Minister of Commerce of the Eurasian Economic Union, had previously told reporters that it is expected that most eggs will be imported from Turkey and Iran to Russia, as he stated that in these 'two countries friendly to Russia,' the price of eggs is competitive even considering transportation costs. From the statements of the head of the poultry working group at the Iran Chamber of Commerce, it appears that in addition to transportation costs as a significant factor, Turkey has also taken the lead over Iran in terms of packaging and health protocols.