Egg farmers have rushed to reassure consumers that there is no shortage of eggs after the supermarket chain Coles announced a two-carton limit in response to the avian influenza outbreak in Victoria.
The highly pathogenic H7N3 strain of bird flu has been detected on four farms in western Victoria, and another highly pathogenic strain, H7N9, has been detected at a fifth farm. More than half a million chickens have been euthanised in an effort to stop the spread of the disease.
A 24-egg limit applies at Coles stores everywhere except Western Australia.
The supermarket said it was temporary but did not reveal how long it was expected to last.
“We are working closely with all of our suppliers to ensure eggs remain available for our customers and we are providing support to the industry in responding to the avian flu cases in Victoria,” a Coles spokesperson said.
Woolworths does not have any limits on egg purchases and no other national stores have publicised limits.
The peak body representing egg producers, Australian Eggs, said the egg supply was not at risk and purchase limits “can send the wrong message to consumers”.
“These avian influenza incidents will cause some disruption to egg supply as retailers reorganise their supply, but purchase limits or patchy supermarket shelves do not indicate a nationwide shortage,” said Australian Eggs’ managing director, Rowan McMonnies.
“We know many Australians rely on eggs as a staple and it might be concerning to see signs of a shortage, but we want consumers to know that only a small part of the industry has been impacted by [avian influenza] and other egg farms are working hard to ensure over 18 million eggs continue to be available every day.”
The H7N3 outbreak was first detected at a large egg farm near Meredith on 22 May, and the H7N9 strain was detected at another egg farm in Terang, 130km south-west, two days later. The properties were linked through contact tracing and Victoria’s chief veterinary officer, Dr Graeme Cooke, said on Friday that the detections were not unexpected and “shows that Agriculture Victoria’s comprehensive and ongoing surveillance activities are working well to date”.
Control areas were set up around each property. Chickens at three other properties within the 5km restricted zone or broader 15km control area surrounding the site of the first outbreak were identified as having H7N3 last week. Under Australia’s guidelines for managing high pathogenicity avian influenza, all birds at all affected properties were euthanised and their carcasses safely disposed of.
The purchasing restriction by Coles follows the Victorian Farmers Federation warning that the outbreak may have an impact on egg supplies. In a statement, the VFF vice-president and an egg farmer, Danyel Cucinotta, said: “We’re anticipating a flow-on impact to egg supplies in the coming week and are working as hard as possible to maintain availability.
“My advice is to shop around at your local grocer, market or small independent store to buy your eggs.”
The acting chief executive of the Australian Chicken Growers Council, Dr Joanne Sillince, said any egg supply issues were a “short-term blip that will resolve itself very quickly”.
“You have got a whole bunch of new pullets coming into production every week,” she said, referring to young hens. “I think Coles may have moved out of an abundance of caution.”
To date the virus has not been detected on farms that only produce chicken meat. The first property at Meredith was a mixed egg and chicken production business.
Avian influenza is primarily spread through the wild bird population, making free-range birds more at risk. Most of the infections to date have been at free-range egg producers.
“Most of our meat chickens are grown indoors,” Sillince said.
Agriculture Victoria has issued a housing requirement for all birds within the restricted and controlled areas around Meredith and Terang, which requires all poultry farmers, back yard chicken owners and those with pet birds to keep them enclosed in cages or sheds.
The control area stretches almost all the way to Ballarat and Geelong. Those who breach the order, including back yard chicken owners, face potential fines.
Cooke said all bird owners in the state were “reminded to follow best biosecurity practice such as keeping poultry sheds, yards, aviaries and equipment clean”.
Avian vets have been urging Australia’s back yard bird owners for months to adopt biosecurity measures to protect their flocks.
Sillince said the outbreak management so far had been “really fantastic”, with authorities and farmers identifying and destroying new infected flocks before the virus had time to develop.
Australian authorities were on high alert for signs of bird flu due to the global outbreak of H5N1, a different strain of high pathogenicity avian influenza, which has yet to be detected in birds in Australia.
Agriculture Victoria has repeatedly assured consumers that eggs and poultry products are safe to consume.