The Trump administration plans to invest one billion dollars to counteract the effects of avian influenza and increase egg imports to 100 million, according to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. Egg processors from France and Germany are also looking to send to the United States, but the lack of equivalence in egg products makes market access difficult, mentioned Fernández.
The USDA contacted EUWEP through the U.S. embassy in Brussels to expand table egg imports. However, U.S. regulations prevent purchases from the EU due to differences in how eggs are processed and kept fresh.
The United States has plans to grant import licenses for Dutch egg products while working to address the shortage that has driven prices up. The Netherlands will join exporters that meet U.S. standards, allowing the import of liquid and powdered eggs once the U.S. Department of Agriculture issues the equivalence statement.
The measure comes at a time when American consumers face an egg shortage due to avian influenza affecting laying hens. Turkey, another major egg exporter, has imposed export taxes to control prices locally, especially during Ramadan, the Muslim holy month. Turkish producers plan to send about 15,000 tons of eggs to the U.S. by July, despite an expected decrease during the Ramadan period.
