A severe egg shortage in Taiwan has caused egg prices continue to soar.
At 6 a.m., even before egg shops are open, people are lined up at the door waiting to buy eggs.
Consumer: “I came at 6 something but he refused to sell. Then I came at 7:10 a.m., and the line is already this long.”
Consumer: “It's so hard to find, I cannot find eggs anywhere. I don't know what the government is doing.”
If you want to buy eggs, you have to act fast. Most popular white eggs are all in short supply, leaving only white eggs with orange yolk or other types of eggs. Nevertheless, all eggs are super popular as they are snatched empty right after they're replenished.
Egg Shop Owner: “Right now, I cannot sell normal white eggs. I can only sell the special eggs, like the ones with orange egg yolk. But with those prices, I can barely make a profit, simply providing eggs. I don't have much in stock either. Look, my whole shop is empty.”
Swarms of people not only congregate at egg shops but also supermarkets and wholesalers to buy eggs. Egg supply is tight everywhere and all shelves are empty. The wholesale egg price has gone up from NT$52 per catty to NT$55 per catty on March 6.
Mr. Lai, Manager, Chain Breakfast Eatery: “We are temporarily suspending a la carte egg orders. If the prices continue to go up, we will consider raising the egg price then.”
Taiwan's recent egg supply decreased dramatically due to an avian flu outbreak, cold waves and the replacement of old hens at chicken farms. The public urges the government to actively get involved.
Cheng Wen-tsan, Vice Premier: “I think supply adjustment is important, and expanding import is also necessary. Additionally, processed eggs and stock clearance can also help with increasing the number in the market.”
First, they cannot come from a country where the eggs are vaccinated. Secondly, it must pass through the required quarantine with the health safety certification. Once they are exported, I will let everyone know.
Other than importing eggs from abroad, the government will continue with other projects to stabilize domestic egg production.
早上6時多，蛋行都還沒開門，門口已經湧現排隊買蛋的民眾，就怕晚來買不到。
民眾說道：「我6時多就來了，然後他不賣，然後7時10分來，就排這麼遠了。」
民眾提及：「很難買啊，到處都找不到蛋啊，真是這個政府不知道在幹嘛。」
想買蛋，不僅手腳得夠快，最搶手的白殼雞蛋，全都缺貨。只剩下白殼紅心蛋或其他蛋種可賣，但受歡迎的程度，幾乎上架沒多久就銷售一空。
蛋行業者指出：「現場賣，我也沒辦法賣普通的白蛋，就只是賣一些特殊蛋，就是白殼紅心啊，但是那個價格賣出來其實也沒賺什麼錢，就是大家買得到蛋而已，但是貨也不多，你看我整間店也都空了。」
不只蛋行湧現買蛋潮，就連超市和量販店，雞蛋同樣供應吃緊，貨架全都空。市場關注，部分地區買不到雞蛋，又碰上蛋價從6日開始，批發價從每台斤52元漲到55元，想在早餐店來顆荷包蛋，荷包會不會因此瘦身？
連鎖早午餐業者賴經理表示：「暫不提供單點蛋這個選項，如果後續再漲幅有再起來的話，我們就會考慮，再把蛋這個選項的價格往上增加。」
由於近期前幾波冷氣團，造成母雞產蛋率下降，影響雞蛋供給，外界呼籲政府應該積極介入處理，才不會讓缺蛋問題持續擴大。
行政院副院長鄭文燦提及：「我想供給面的調整很重要，那擴大進口是必要的。另外，這個加工蛋跟這個庫存的釋出，也有助於市面流通的數量可以增加。」
農委會主委陳吉仲指出：「第一個不能有打疫苗的國家，第二個絕對要經過檢疫跟衛生安全證明，那這個只要一出口的時候，我會立刻跟各位來報告。」
除了從國外進口雞蛋來台，也得趕緊提升國內產蛋量，才能讓雞蛋供需恢復正常。