Eggs are a well-liked, healthy, natural whole food that contains a wide range of important nutrients.
They are versatile and affordable. Eggs are also highly nutritious and come loaded with vitamins, minerals, protein, and healthy fats, and have become a vital part of our daily diet because of the benefits they offer.
Eggs are also one of the most versatile ingredients used in cooking.
With all the good qualities that come with them, South Africans are struggling to find eggs at most grocery stores across the country.
Bathong what causes eggs shortage these chickens azenzi???
— #2ndbookloading (@Fikz_the_Cook) September 26, 2023
Taking to social media, many people expressed how saddened they were not to find this important food item on store shelves.
@MunchinGladbach wrote: “I’m on my 3rd pack of 30 eggs this month. I don’t know how I’m going to survive this supposed egg shortage we’re about to experience.”
@Narch90 wrote: “Last night I dreamt that all the stores I went to didn’t have any eggs. I’m not ready for an egg shortage. It was a nightmare.”
@imbaliyase commented: “Just came back from Checkers in Hillcrest there are no eggs in the entire store. I was told there’s an egg shortage (crying face emoji). The bird flu is real, guys.”
Another user, @Beevatar wrote: “Guys what do you think of this egg shortage in the country? Personally, I wish they remain unavailable because life is becoming more expensive every day plus I don’t like eggs.”
The shortage of eggs has been linked to a nationwide outbreak of avian flu and some of SA’s retail outlets have issued notices apologising to customers for the shortage.
Reacting to the news, South African Veterinary Association president Dr Paul van der Merwe told IOL that the situation was dire and would have a ripple effect on the multibillion-rand poultry sector.
“I don’t know where it’s going to end. We are probably going to lose a third or half of our flock. That’s going to have a massive impact on our egg production. On our chicken production. It is very, very serious currently.”
Van der Merwe warned that it was devastating for businesses, as well as vets who had to cull up to 50 000 birds at a time.
“The policy currently in government is that you cull all the houses where the birds are affected.
“If there is a pen where the birds are affected, then they cull that whole house. So they will cull 10 000 or 20 000 birds in a house because there is one infected bird in that house,” he said.
