With many producers running at a loss Geoff Cooper, sales and production manager for Noble Foods, was asked why supermarkets had recently put their prices up by as much as 50-80p per dozen, when producers had only received a price rise of 12p per dozen.

Mr Cooper replied that his company was only taking a similar rise to producers and it was in its interests to ensure producers received a fair return. He said that his company had no control over retail prices and he was unable to explain why supermarkets could justify such a large price increase.

Mr Cooper said there would be no shortage of British eggs over the Christmas period, so any retailers who imported eggs would be doing so because they wanted to, rather than out of necessity.

Sam Hawkes, the NFU’s national poultry advisor, talked about the National Control Plan, which will come into force in 2009 and require flocks to be tested for salmonella every 15 weeks.