Eggs

Eggs are a low-priced protein source that are consumed worldwide. Each commercial chicken lays between 265-280 eggs per year. In the United States, the grade and size of eggs are regulated under the federal Egg Products Inspection Act (1970). The grades of eggs are AA, A, and B, and must have sound, whole shells and must be clean. The difference among the grades of eggs is internal and mostly reflects the freshness of the egg. Table eggs vary in color and can be determined by the color of the chicken’s earlobe--white earlobes lay white eggs, reddish-brown earlobes lay brown eggs, etc. In the US, egg size is determined by the weight of a dozen eggs, not individual eggs, and range from Peewee to Jumbo. Store-bought eggs in the shell stay fresh for 3 to 5 weeks in a home refrigerator, according to the USDA.

Eggs are primarily used as a source of food, although eggs are also widely used for medical purposes. Fertile eggs, as a source of purified proteins, are used to produce many vaccines. Flu vaccines are produced by growing single strains of the flu virus in eggs, which are then extracted to make the vaccine. Eggs are also used in biotechnology to create new drugs. The hen’s genetic make-up can be altered so the whites of the eggs are rich in tailored proteins that will form the basis of medicines to fight cancer and other diseases. The US biotech company Viragen and the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh have produced eggs with 100 mg or more of the easily-extracted proteins used in new drugs to treat various illnesses including ovarian and breast cancers.

Prices – The average wholesale price of shell eggs (large) recovered to 79.66 cents per dozen in 2003 from the 15-year low of 57.17 cents seen in 2002.

Supply – US egg production in 2003 was on track to fall 0.4% to 86.345 billion eggs from the record high of 86.659 billion in 2002. World production of eggs in 2002, the last full reporting year, rose +2.1% to a record high of 795.711 billion eggs. China produced 49% of the world’s eggs in 2002, with production in 2003 rising +3.1% from 2002 to 389.000 billion eggs, and more than tripling since 1986. US egg production, which accounts for 10.7% of world production, has risen by about 23% over that same time frame. Russia is the world’s third largest producer of eggs with 4.3% of world production. Mexico, the world’s fourth largest producer of eggs, is an emerging force in the egg market with 4.2% of world production and has nearly doubled its production in the past 15 years.

Demand – US consumption of eggs in 2003 fell slightly by 0.4% to 6.160 billion dozen eggs from the record high of 6.184 billion in 2002. The forecast is for consumption to rise to a new record high of 6.205 billion in 2004. US consumption of eggs has increased due to the focus on a low-carbohydrate diet since eggs are high in protein.

Trade – US imports of eggs fell sharply by 42% to 8.0 million dozen eggs in 2003, returning to more normal levels after the 14-year high spike of 13.8 million seen in 2002. US exports of eggs in 2003 fell –7.9% to 168.0 million dozen from 182.5 million in 2002. US exports represent only about 2% of overall US production, showing that most US-produced eggs are consumed domestically.