The latest figures for the first quarter of 2010 have been published by the UK Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

UK packing station throughput by country shows that during the first quarter of 2010, a total of 4.865 million cases [1 case=360 eggs] of eggs were packed in England and Wales, a rise of 3.4 per cent on the same period of 2009. In Scotland, 999,000 cases of eggs were packed during the first quarter of 2010, a rise of 10 per cent on the same period the previous year, and 633,000 cases of eggs were packed in Northern Ireland during the first quarter of 2010, which was a 25 per cent rise on the same period the previous year.

UK packing station throughput by type shows that during the first quarter of 2010, laying cage eggs accounted for 52 per cent, free-range eggs accounted for 39 per cent and barn and organic eggs combined accounted for nine per cent of the total throughput.

The percentage split of graded eggs by size shows that during the first quarter of 2010, 6.0 per cent of throughput were very large eggs, 45 per cent were large eggs, 40 per cent were medium eggs and small eggs accounted for 3.3 per cent. Graded seconds accounted for 6.1 per cent of total throughput.

The weighted average 'packer to producer' price of all eggs during the first quarter of 2010 was 74.8 pence per dozen. This was an increase of 5.1 per cent on the same period of 2009.

The number of eggs bought by UK processors during the first quarter of 2010 totalled 1.185 million cases. This was a decrease of 8.2 per cent on eggs bought during the same period of 2009.

UK egg processors produced 22,400 tonnes of egg products during the first quarter of 2010. This was a fall of 6.9 per cent on production during the same period the previous year. Liquid and frozen eggs accounted for 67 per cent of the total production at 15,000 tonnes.

The latest trade data shows that during the period January-February 2010, the UK imported 769,000 cases of shell eggs, a rise of 25 per cent on the same period last year. Exports of shell eggs for the same period totalled 91,000 cases, which was a 4.2 per cent rise on the same period during 2009.

UK imports of egg products for the period January-February 2010 stood at 427,000 cases, a 2.7 per cent fall on the same period last year. Exports of egg products for the same period this year totalled 22,000 cases, which represents a 41 per cent fall on exports during the first two months of 2009.

Further Reading

-

You can view the full report by clicking here.