The Council of Agriculture’s egg import policy was designed to benefit chain stores, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei City Councilor Hsu Chiao-hsin (徐巧芯) said on Thursday.
After the policy was introduced, 5.5 million eggs were imported last month to address a shortage in northern Taiwan.
The council said that the nation would import 30 million eggs this month and next month.
Photo: Yeh Yung-chien, Taipei Times
When introducing the policy, the council said that the imported eggs would be sold at chain stores for NT$65 per 10-egg crate, adding that it would absorb any price differences.
However, not all store chains can obtain the eggs, Hsu said, adding that prices are fluctuating.
She said that the eggs are sold for NT$68 at Pxmart, NT$69 at A-Mart and NT$65 to NT$79 at Simple Mart.
The import program is funded with taxpayer money, but the distribution is limited to certain stores, which can buy the eggs cheap and sell them at a profit, she said.
Hsu said the program is unfair, as it benefits chain markets.
The council said that it drafted the program based on consumers’ needs and that surplus eggs are offered to smaller stores.
Department of Animal Industry Deputy Director Chiang Wen-chuan (江文全) said that 50 percent of domestic eggs are made available to the restaurant and food industries, while 25 percent go to convenience stores and supermarkets, 15 percent to schools and the military, and 5 percent each to traditional markets and smaller stores.
The import program was designed to address shortages in any of the marketing channels, he said, adding that it prioritizes retailers, as this would benefit consumers most.
There is no favoritism, he added.
Chiang said the council has also traded imported eggs for eggs stored at processed food plants.
The council said the distribution of imported eggs is based on market data and pricing, adding that the mechanism was suggested by the Taipei Egg Retailers’ Union.
The eggs are clearly labeled to inform consumers where they are from, it said
The policy seeks to ensure that people can buy eggs for acceptable prices, while not affecting the business of egg farmers, it added.
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