[dukey]

because they are so fucking greedy !

We sell eggs here .. free range ones from our little shop. And we've been insanely busy, never known business like it. And we found out from other producers it is because there is a shortage of eggs. Basically the cost of everything has gone up massively, due to the price of oil, and also because stock piles of wheat are historically very low. The suppliers just haven't been able to pass on the costs to the super markets so are all literally selling up, and now theres a shortage of eggs.

Theres a story about this in the paper also $this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'B')ritain is facing an egg shortage in the run-up to Christmas as production becomes increasingly unprofitable, the country's leading supplier claimed yesterday. The rapidly rising cost of wheat, used for feeding livestock, has had a knock-on affect to many of the basic food staples, including eggs. And the situation is likely to become worse as many farmers are quitting livestock production, unable to afford to feed their animals.

The alarm was raised by Noble Foods, the leading egg producer, which claimed that it had evidence that egg farmers were winding down production because it was not profitable. The company, which supplies about 40 per cent of the British market, said the price of wheat - which makes up half the costs of keeping chickens - had doubled in the past year. Even though the price of eggs had also increased, many producers were not re-investing in their flock for the traditionally busy Christmas period, which could result in a shortage for the first time since the Second World War.

Despite the price of half a dozen eggs rising above £1 last year, according to the Office of National statistics - up 27 per cent in 12 months - it is still not enough. Finn Cottle, the marketing director at Noble, said: "The price of eggs needs to rise by 25 per cent to make it worthwhile." A combination of changing diets around the world, especially in China, disastrous harvests and competition for crops from the biofuel industry has pushed wheat prices through the roof. In the past month alone, wholesale costs have risen by 60 per cent.

[Twilight]

It does not surprise me in the least. Every couple of months, some journalist does a "farmers being squeezed" or "supermarkets' uncompetitive practices" story, and whether meat, dairy or crop growers, they all consistently say the same thing: they can sell at the price they are given, or not at all. You must conclude by inference that the supermarkets operate a buyers' cartel, engaging in price-fixing to ensure that suppliers have no alternative buyer if they do not accept the "market" price. This relentless downward pressure has been slowly killing the British farming industry for ten, twenty years. EU subsidies don't protect them. The lost skills don't return.

Clearly the regulators are asleep here as well.

[Tyler_JC]

If there is an egg shortage, it will be relatively short lived.

Supermarkets don't control the price of wholesale eggs, the market does.

Currently the mismatch between wholesale and retail prices for eggs is causing production of eggs to decline (or at least not grow fast enough).

In response, the price of retail eggs is going to jump up dramatically, expanding the profit margin for supermarkets.

In response to this expanded profit margin, supermarkets will try to find more product to sell to consumers.

This will push up wholesale egg prices (and thus the prices paid to farmers).

Farmers will respond by producing more eggs...and the shortage is fixed.

Market = God

[peaker_2005]

The real problem is egg is used in nearly everything.

Peak cake?

[Tyler_JC]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('peaker_2005', 'T')he real problem is egg is used in nearly everything.

Peak cake?

[I_Like_Plants]

That reminds me, I have some REALLY rotten eggs around here, I mean, they were raunchy 2 months ago, I hate to think of how they are now...

And I know where the Democratic HQ is downtown.....

[misterno]

If you believe in PO then why worry about GMO's or the effects of NG or oil based fertilizers on food?

Because if PO really happens, then the cost of growing non-organic food will skyrocket, thus all farming will turn into organic anyway. Except for transportation, fossil fuel is not involved in organic farming.

Personally, I have been noticing the price differential between the organic and non-organic food has narrowed alot thru several years. If energy prices and fertilizer prices keep going up the price spread between organic and non organic should dissappear.

[jupiters_release]

You can't really trust organic labeling because the "standards" allow GMO food and big companies like Horizon were also exposed as being completely industrial. Only way to know what you're really eating is by knowing the farmer.

[smiley]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I')f you believe in PO then why worry about GMO's or the effects of NG or oil based fertilizers on food?

[hubbertspeak7777777]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('bruin', 'I')ronically, the organic food will eventually be cheaper then the other foods after PO.

[Ferretlover]

From rice in Peru to miso in Japan, food prices are rising all over the world
…From subsistence farmers eating rice in Ecuador to gourmets feasting on escargot in France, consumers worldwide face rising food prices in what analysts call a perfect storm of conditions. Freak weather is a factor. But so are dramatic changes in the global economy, including higher oil prices, lower food reserves and growing consumer demand in China and India.
The world’s poorest nations still harbor the greatest hunger risk. Clashes over bread in Egypt killed at least two people last week, and similar food riots broke out in Burkina Faso and Cameroon this month. …
“It’s not likely that prices will go back to as low as we’re used to,” said Abdolreza Abbassian, economist and secretary of the Intergovernmental Group for Grains for the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. …
For at least 10 years

[strider3700]

Thanks to a tanking US dollar and most of our winter food being imported from california, Canadians actually have a drop in prices for most fresh goods this year compared to last. This will of course crush us in the end like everyone else but right now it's kind of nice to get "fresh" veggies "cheap"

[Ainan]

The UN's policy is to prevent nations from stockpiling food stuffs, the idea is any shortfalls in production can be made up by importing from other nations. I would like to get my hand on the person who thought up that idea. The only nation who defies this rule is Japan which stockpiles rice since it is a special variety only grown in Japan.

[drayor]

That policy willl be enough to starve everyone.

If you are buying non local food you will not be happy long.

[bodigami]

How many of you actually do something and start planting your own food?

[jasonraymondson]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('zensui', 'H')ow many of you actually do something and start planting your own food?

[strider3700]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('zensui', 'H')ow many of you actually do something and start planting your own food?

[Zardoz]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('zensui', 'H')ow many of you actually do something and start planting your own food?

[FreakOil]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('zensui', 'H')ow many of you actually do something and start planting your own food?