STRATEGY ▶▶▶
COVID-19 disrupts poultry production chain
As it travels around the globe the coronavirus is disrupting large parts of society and the economy. COVID-19 has not left the poultry production chain untouched either, infecting workers, disrupting the supply chain and impacting demand. Poultry World reports.
BY TREENA HEIN AND FABIAN BROCKOTTER W
Eggs were in short supply for a while follow- ing panic buy- ing. Packers were able to re- store supply and quickly restock supermarkets.
ith the spread of the new and deadly virus, ‘normal’ has flown out of the window when it comes to the food supply chain. During the first few weeks of the outbreak consumers
were seen to be hoarding toilet paper for no obvious reason and eggs and meat with good reason. A surge in demand to ensure there was food on the table left supermarket shelves empty and suppliers struggling to keep up, while trying to cope with the virus themselves.
Egg shortages In Canada, the US and Europe, the COVID-19 pandemic led to ‘panic buying’ of groceries to stockpile food against possible future food shortages, also given the closure of many restau- rants. These factors have greatly impacted both the egg and chicken sectors. There are reports, for example, that in many
areas of the US workers at major chicken producers, such as Tyson Food, Sanderson Farms and Perdue Farms, have been forced to work overtime to meet higher production levels. At some stores in Canada eggs have been sold out at various times. Some of this is also due to panic buying but the Feder- ation des producteurs d’œufs du Quebec (FPOQ) explained that temporary egg shortages have occurred in certain grocery stores in that province due to restaurant closures and chang- es in the egg distribution channels as a result. In European countries too, consumers found supermarket shelves bare, even in a period when extra eggs were being delivered due to the Easter peak demand. However, once packers had shift- ed deliveries from their closed food-service customers to su- permarkets the situation soon normalised again in the US and Canada. United Egg Producers (UEP, the main egg farm- ers’ association in the US) issued a statement saying it was “aware some Americans have faced empty store shelves and egg cases early in this outbreak, and we understand you have concerns. UEP’s farmer members are committed to producing a consistent supply of eggs”.
Virus hits home It was not easy to make sure that the supply of poultrymeat and eggs was sufficient to meet demand as the virus hit the poultry chain as well. Dozens of meat-processing plants have been forced to close temporarily as the industry strug- gles to contain the spread of the coronavirus among em- ployees who often have to stand side-by-side while cutting
34 ▶ POULTRY WORLD | No. 4, 2020
PHOTO: BOERDERIJ
PHOTO: FABIAN BROCKOTTER
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