Images of pig-priced egg cartons in the US and Europe are shared on social media. Prices have exploded because bird flu has knocked out a lot of production, while people are buying more affordable proteins as the economy tightens. The price of eggs has increased by 70 per cent in Europe in the past year, according to the February figures from the European Commission. But in Norway, the hens lay so many eggs that the price can hardly be set. The cheapest eggs have a unit price of NOK 2 in Norwegian shops. This winter, the market price for eggs was higher in Poland than in Norway for the first time, according to the Directorate of Agriculture’s statistics. Photo: Alexander Slotten / news The Norwegian “egg crisis” Norwegians can still make a cheap omelet for dinner, but Norway is not free of problems with the production of eggs either. In the last ten years, the hens have mostly laid more eggs than Norwegians have been able to eat. Norway has chosen a model for agricultural goods where the authorities are responsible for regulating supply and demand, and thus also setting prices. No matter how many eggs are produced, farmers are guaranteed a price for the eggs they deliver. The politicians wanted such a model to give the farmer a secure income. In the last ten years, several farmers have acquired hens and started delivering eggs. Norway has become a country with far too many farms with hens. At the same time, the price for the eggs for the shop has gradually been raised, but not as much as the farmers would like. The authorities are trying to balance the market. But instead of lowering prices to increase demand, they try to get the hens to lay fewer eggs. This autumn, 13 Norwegian poultry farmers were paid to slaughter chickens. This will slow down the overproduction of 2.8 million kilograms of eggs this year. Nortura therefore believes that the market will balance out this year. Photo: Aelxander Slotten / news The farmers have had enough In the government, Sandra Borch is the Minister of Agriculture. She belongs to the Center Party, which is one of the strongest defenders of the price model in agriculture. Borch believes that such a model will result in overproduction at times. – It is not bad to have low prices for eggs, but various considerations must be taken into account, including the farmer’s income opportunities, she says to news. The Norwegian farmer, like his colleagues in Europe, has had to spend more on everything from electricity to concentrate. – The way it is now, there is already a lot of eggs and that prevents the price from going up. There should have been a somewhat higher egg price, as especially the feed prices have increased, says farmer Håvard Dehli, who also leads the Fjørfelaget in Inlandet. Håvard Dehli believes that the politicians must slow down new farmers who want to get chickens and sell eggs. Photo: Aleksander Nordengen Brevig / news Today he receives 1 kroner for each egg delivered to Nortura, but he is not satisfied as long as the price is low due to overproduction. Among other things, the farmers must pay a historically high fee of NOK 1.50 for each kilogram of eggs produced. Among other things, it goes to pay farmers to slaughter chickens. Once a week, the eggs are collected from Håvard Dehli’s farm at Nes in Ringsaker in Innlandet. Photo: Aleksander Nordengen Brevig / news At the same time, anyone can still buy hens and start egg production with an official guarantee that the eggs will be bought. Dehli believes the politicians at Storitnget must clean up. – The legislation must be changed. Today, anyone who wants to can start with eggs. We want people to be able to start with eggs if there is a need, he says. He thinks it is particularly a shame that great food is not eaten by people because there is overproduction. The eggs have instead become animal feed. Photo: Alexander SLotten / news
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Now we have cheaper eggs than Poland – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
