Grain and Feed Prices Affected by Ukrainian War 俄烏戰糧價波動 農委會:可供應至8-10月

Egg shortage will be eased in mid-March, according to Council of Agriculture Minister Chen Chi-chung. Chen also promised that arrangements have been made in reponse to food price fluctuations caused by Russia-Ukraine conflict. 

The stable weather has improved egg production conditions in Central and Southern Taiwan, with production increasing from 102,000 to 107,000 boxes. However, the egg shortage still exists, and the daily production volume is still short of 3,000 boxes, or about 600,000 eggs. Council of Agriculture Minister Chen Chi-chung presented his report at the Legislative Yuan's Economics Committee on the 9th. He said his Council is continuing to adjust shipments and imports are in place. He believes that the shortage problem can be solved in mid-March.

Lin Tai-hua, Legislator (DPP): “Can you solve the egg shortage problem completely in mid-March?”
Chen Chi-chung, Council of Agriculture Minister: “Of course.”

Lin Tai-hua, Legislator (DPP): “So you will keep your promise? All of us in Taiwan, especially the mothers and grandmothers heard it.”
  
There is no guarantee that egg prices will return to where they were before the recent price increases.

Lu Yu-ling, Legislator (KMT): “Minister, I hope you promise to work hard to return egg prices to their original level at the end of March?”

Chen Chi-chung, Council of Agriculture Minister: “Legislator, we can't stand here and guarantee the market price will return to the original market price. It is based on the market mechanism.”
 
It remains to be seen whether Chen can keep his promise but many legislators are also concerned about the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on raw materials. Some commodities' prices have more than doubled. The COA said the supply of soybeans and corn used for feed is currently guaranteed to be available until August. Farmers are also concerned about fertilizer, which the COA said it has already made arrangements ahead of time.

Chen Chi-chung, Council of Agriculture Minister: “Our inventory will be able to supply to at least October.”

The Russia-Ukraine war is also affecting the import of salmon. Chen said that salmon is indeed the most imported aquatic product in Taiwan but he believes that there are many alternatives to this particular fish. He encourages Taiwanese people to consume more domestically raised fish such as grouper, fourfinger threadfin, Taiwan sea bream, and milkfish, which are all reasonably priced.

天氣轉穩定，也讓中南部雞蛋生產條件轉好，雞蛋生產從10萬2千箱，成長到10萬7千箱，不過蛋荒仍然存在，生產量仍短少3千箱約60萬顆，9日上午到經濟委員會業務報告的農委會主委陳吉仲，表示持續調度與國外進口到位，相信3月中可解決問題，他再次掛保證。

民進黨立委林岱樺質詢問：「你3月中旬可不可以徹底解決雞蛋不足的問題？」農委會主委陳吉仲當場回應當然可以。林岱樺說：「不會跳票，那我們所有全台灣的人民、婆婆媽媽都聽到了。」

陳吉仲補充，但雞蛋價格無法保證恢復到漲價前。

國民黨立委呂玉玲質詢：「主委我希望你保證也努力，3月底回到原來價格好不好？」陳吉仲回應：「委員我們現在不能在這裡保證市場價格回到原來價格，依照市場機制來運作。」

是否不會跳票仍有待檢驗，而不少立委也關切烏俄戰爭，可能對原物料帶來的衝擊，有些大宗物資已經翻漲一倍以上，農委會表示，已經盤點作為飼料的黃豆玉米，目前可確保到8月供應無虞，而農民關切的肥料原料，農委會也強調已經超前部署。

陳吉仲說：「這些的庫存量絕對供應到10月喔。」

另外烏俄戰爭也影響到鮭魚進口，主委陳吉仲表示，鮭魚確實是台灣進口最高的水產品，但認為魚類有很多替代性，若鮭魚無法來台，鼓勵國人多消費國產的石斑、午仔魚、台灣鯛、虱目魚，價格相對合理。