Foreign media: Australia's demand for "free-range" chickens leads to a big increase in the cost of chicken farmers and the country's "lack of eggs"

Since the introduction of the new "free-range" farming law in March this year, there has been a severe shortage of eggs across Australia due to increased investment in infrastructure by farmers and increased egg consumption as a result of rising meat prices. Some analysts say that the "egg shortage" may last for several months. The law caused serious dissatisfaction among the public.

The Sydney Morning Herald and the Daily Mail reported that due to the mandatory requirements of the "free-range" law, farmers have invested most of their money in the construction of compliant chicken cages and barns, resulting in a serious drop in egg production. On the other hand, as meat prices continue to rise, Australian consumers are increasingly choosing relatively cheap eggs as substitutes and supplements, with consumption rising by 3.5% to 4% a year. With the rise and fall of each other, there is no supply of fresh eggs on the egg shelves of major supermarkets in Australia. Coward, a spokesman for the Australian Chicken Farmers Association, predicted that the "egg shortage" would last for two to three months and that egg prices would continue to rise.

In view of this, some supermarket egg shelves have posted signs of apology to customers: "We are trying to provide egg substitutes, due to supply problems, eggs are in a state of shortage."

The "free-range" law introduced by the Australian authorities in March stipulates that only one chicken can be raised per square meter, and chickens should "have the opportunity to go outside the chicken cage." At the same time, some regulations that have not yet been finalized include the size of barns, an uncertainty that has led farmers to build more barns to meet demand.