Schoeneiche, Germany – The United States government is in a world search for eggs, looking for exports from Europe maximum record.
Germany, Italy, Poland and Sweden are among the nations that the United States Department of Agriculture approached to address the scarcity caused by an avian flu outbreak, according to European industry groups.
But supplying eggs to Americans would be complicated for foreign producers, and not by political tensions about the innumerable import rates President Donald Trump has imposed or threatened to impose on the main commercial partners of his nation.
Even if they were eager to share, European countries do not have many surplus eggs due to their own avian flu sprouts and the growing internal demand before Easter.
One of the greatest obstacles, however, is the approach that the United States adopts to prevent Salmonella pollution. The United States food security regulations require fresh eggs to disinfect and refrigerate before reaching buyers; In the European Union, security standards require that grade A eggs are sold without washing and without extended cooling.
“These are two systems that could not be more different,” said Hans-Peter Goldnick, president of the German egg association.
It is common in parts of Europe, for example, that consumers buy eggs that still have feathers and chicken poop attached to them.
The farmer David Karlsch described the simple process that carries the eggs of the chickens to the customers of the Farm of Saballus family property in Schoeneiche, a city on the outskirts of the capital of Germany: the eggs are taken from the nests, they are placed in cardboards and are sold in the facilities or from a refrigerated vending machine on the outskirts property.
“The demand at the time of Easter is, of course, very high, since many children naturally want to paint eggs,” Karlsch said.
Poland, an important egg exporter, presented an American consultation on the availability of eggs, according to Katarzyna Gawrońska, director of the National Chamber of Popízetas and feeding producers. The Washed Vs. Unwashed was an important factor since European officials considered such applications, he said.
The eggs are not cleaned in most of the 27 EU member countries due to the concerns that eliminating the natural protective coating of the egg peels makes them more Vulnerable to bacteriaGawrońska said.
Polish veterinary officials are trying to determine whether the country and their farmers can meet the requirements of the United States, as if the exporting country has a comparable food security inspection system or a significant outbreak of avian flu.
Although the regulations of the European Union claim that table eggs “will not be washed or clean”, member countries have some maneuver margin if they authorize egg baths in packaging plants decades ago.
The CEO of the Danish egg association, Jørgen Nyberg Larsen, said that national customs are part of it; The washed eggs are the standard in SwedenFor example. But Sweden and Norway have informed the United States not to have additional eggs to export, Larsen said.
For now, it is more likely that imports of US eggs increase in Europe they arrive in powder form or other products that can be sent frozen or dry, Larsen said.
That is the answer that the Commercial Association of Poland gave US officials. If the United States certifies Poland as a source, the members of the organization would have a limited number of shell eggs to sell, but could supply “very large volumes of egg processing products,” Gawrońska said.
Processed eggs are generally pasteurized to prevent foods transmitted by food and then used in food manufacturing or by restaurants, hospitals and elderly homes, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
Baked products, pasta and sauces such as mayonnaise are some of the commercial products made with egg powder.
American officials also tried to sound farmers in the Veneto region of Northern Italy for emergency egg supplies, according to Coldiretti, the main organization of Italian agricultural lobbying.
But Italy only produces enough eggs to meet national demand, so most producers in the region said they could not help. Aviar flu sprouts since the beginning of last year have also affected the Italian poultry industry.
Germany cannot contribute much either. Its domestic poultry industry generates about 73% of the eggs consumed in the country, “and we essentially have to import eggs from Holland every day to keep everyone satisfied,” said the gold of the German egg association.
“We have about 45 million eggs that we can collect from chicken every day, and in the United States, there is a shortage of around 50 million eggs a day. That shows how difficult it is,” he said.
Other countries with which the United States government contacted include Austria, Norway, Spain and Denmark. He United States Department of Agriculture He said he assured new commitments of Eggs from Türkiye and South Korea in recent months, although he did not specify the amount or type.
Imports of liquid, frozen and dry eggs can help release some domestic shell eggs for consumers, but the United States made its appeal for foreign eggs in the midst of a significant deficit; Last month, the country produced 720 million less table eggs than in February 2024, a decrease of almost 10%.
The United States also reduced its own egg exports to increase supplies at home, the Department of Agriculture said.
While informal commercial conversations continue, the US market has shown signs of improvement. It has been almost a month since a big outbreak of aviar flu affected egg set chickens, the department said. He informed that the national wholesale price for large eggs fell to $ 3.27 per dozen to March 21, or less than half of its $ 8.15 peak per dozen on February 21.
American consumers are just beginning to see that wholesale prices are translated into lower prices on supermarket shelves, the department said. The great demand for eggs that generally accompany Easter and Easter could make prices upload again next month.
Trump has not walked exactly on egg shells with the people of Europe since his second term began. The president repeats himself Threats to seize GreenlandA Danish territory enraged many in Denmark. His position towards Ukraine and derogatory comments of The main members of his administration has alarmed the European allies of the United States.
He European UnionThat it is the third largest commercial partner in the United States, it was not exempt from the rates that Trump ordered about steel, aluminum and cars. Prepare for moreHe has prepared counter-tarifas in American products.
But many officials in Europe say none of that would rule out the export of eggs.
Goldnick said an egg producer friend recently told him that “if the price is correct, then I will deliver it.” Any offer made or not reduced to commercial decisions, he said.
“I have two souls in my chest. On the one hand, I would say: ‘No, we cannot support this system’, but that is not the correct answer,” he said, referring to the new US tariffs about European goods.
“The correct answer is that we have to help where we can. And people care.
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Gera reported from Varsovia, Poland. Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit, Giada Zampano in Rome and Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska, contributed to this report.
