No cause to panic-buy eggs, but a poultry meat price hike is on the horizon

Consumers need to brace for a possible price hike going into the new year, writes Jyothi Laldas.

Despite authorities saying there is no need to panic-buy eggs, and that there will be sufficient stock of eggs and poultry meat for South Africans throughout the festive season, a hike in prices going into the new year could be a reality.

The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has urged consumers not to resort to panic-buying eggs as efforts to restore stock are ongoing and there has been a steady inflow of eggs onto the market.

In a statement, the department said they have opened import permits for eggs and poultry products from a few countries and that the practice predates the recent Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak.

"Import of table eggs, fertilized eggs, pasteurised eggs, egg powder and liquid eggs has been ongoing for many years in South Africa and has not only started with the current outbreak. Other countries including Brazil, the US and Argentina, have been exporting eggs to South Africa for some time and the department is currently processing import permit applications from a few more countries," said the department.