Finland Rejects US Request to Export Eggs

Finland has declined a request from the United States to export eggs due to concerns over complex bureaucratic procedures and continuous inspections, Finnish media reported.

According to the Finnish Poultry Association, American authorities had reached out to Finland, Denmark, and other European countries to secure egg supplies as the US faces a severe shortage due to the spread of bird flu.

However, the Executive Director of the Finnish Poultry Association, Lira Lehtilä, stated that Finland currently cannot meet the US demand, as the country has not yet negotiated the "market access" terms with American authorities.

This process would require extensive inspections and lengthy bureaucratic procedures.

Lehtilä emphasized that exporting eggs to the US is not a simple task due to the lack of established guidelines and Finland’s absence of an official export license for such products.

She also noted that Finland’s poultry industry has suffered significant losses due to the bird flu outbreak, leading to the culling of millions of birds.

With only four million laying hens in the country, Finland's potential contribution would be insufficient to resolve the US egg shortage.

The United States is currently experiencing a sharp increase in egg prices due to the bird flu crisis. Reports indicate that in March, egg prices in the US were the highest among G20 nations, surpassing Australia, which previously held the top spot.

Meanwhile, wholesale egg prices in the European Union hit a historic high of 268.5 euros per 100 kilograms due to the bird flu outbreak. EU egg imports also surged by nearly one-third last year.

In the US, official statistics revealed that egg prices rose by 59% year-on-year in February, with a monthly increase of 10.4%.