WorldPoultry: Georgia reports hike in egg imports

Georgia significantly increased its level of egg imports during the first half of 2013 compared to the same period last year, the country’s National Statistical Department has reported.

According to the report, the amount of eggs imported into Georgia has increased by almost 800%. In the first half of 2013, Georgia imported more than 13 million eggs; in the same period last year only 1.5 million eggs were imported.

Market experts suggest that the rise is attributed to the fact that imported eggs are exempt from certain types of taxes and duties. Turkey, Moldova and Ukraine are the main exporters of eggs to Georgia.

The fact that the market has been flooded with foreign eggs has seriously harmed domestic egg production, prompting Georgian egg producers to express their concern with the situation.

According to Zurab Uchumbegashvili, Chairperson of Association of Georgian Poultry Enterprises this happened because the new government cancelled strict sanitary controls on imported eggs adopted since 2007 as a preventive remedy against bird flu.

He also pointed out that a large number of egg producers went bankrupt during the first half of the year which lead to the fall in domestic egg production in Georgia. Representatives of the association also fear that domestic production in Georgia will cease completely if the government does not help the industry.