Australian supermarket chain imposes limits on EGG PURCHASES following bird flu-related poultry culls

06/20/2024 / By Kevin Hughes

Australian consumers who visit a major supermarket chain in the Land Down Under may find that they can’t purchase eggs beyond a certain amount.

Grocery chain Coles has enforced a maximum purchase limit of two cartons of eggs per customer, YourNews reported. The maximum purchase limit, which is on a temporary basis, applies to all states save for Western Australia.

At present, Coles is the only retailer in Australia to impose such limits. Its competitors Woolworths and Aldi are not putting a limit on egg sales. But comparable restrictions may follow from other stores if additional culls become necessary.

“We are working closely with all of our suppliers to ensure eggs remain available for our customers. We are providing support to the industry in responding to the avian flu cases in Victoria,” a spokesperson for the grocery chain said.

The limit on egg purchases at Coles followed considerable poultry culls in Victoria state, which prompted the culling of over 500,000 birds on five farms in the southwest due to the H7N3 strain of avian influenza. This strain varies from the H5N1 strain discovered on dairy farms in the U.S. and the H5N2 strain connected to a reported death in Mexico. (Related: South Africa CULLS 7.5M chickens to contain BIRD FLU outbreaks, triggering shortages of poultry and eggs.)

According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), four farms near the town of Meredith were infected with the H7N3 bird flu strain. Meanwhile, an infection of the H7N9 strain was found in the town of Terang, also in Victoria.

The Victorian Farmers Federation said about one in 16 egg-laying chickens had been culled, decreasing the state’s supply by about 450,000 eggs a day. The culling also dealt a serious blow to Victoria, the third biggest egg-producing state in the Land Down Under.

Aussie officials claim EGG SHORTAGES are far-fetched

Egg producers have recently warned about a probable shortage on supermarket shelves, but officials have dismissed such claims as far-fetched.

Australian Eggs (AEggs) Managing Director Rowan McMonnies said the outbreak just caused a little interruption to the supply. AEggs is a member-owned not-for-profit corporation that gives marketing, research and development services to Australian producers.

“Some of those farms were supplying to Coles, so they’ve thought it was either necessary or responsible to go first and say we are going to limit supply,” he told ABC‘s “Country Hour” during a recent appearance. “You might have to shop outside your normal patterns, but you will be able to find eggs.”

McMonnies added the market was resorting to discovering fresh sources to fill the void left by the five producers. He added some egg exports could be redirected to the domestic market.

Murray Watt, the Australian federal minister for agriculture, described the purchasing limit by Coles as preemptive. He also asked shoppers to be respectful to employees. Wyatt, who is concurrently the federal emergency management minister, also expressed confidence in the work of Victorian authorities to manage the outbreak.

“It’s now at a point where we do have bird flu in five different poultry farms across Victoria but frankly it would have been a lot more if the Victorian government, supported by the Commonwealth, hadn’t moved as quickly as they had,” he said.

Follow FoodRationing.news for more stories about purchase limits on foods such as eggs and more.

Watch this clip about the bird flu outbreak at an Australian farm.

This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com.