As the demand for processing eggs grows, Alberta producers are considering building their own plant.
Egg producers plan to meet Oct. 18 in Calgary to discuss an Alberta egg breaking plant to handle cracked and surplus table eggs. It is agreed the plant must be independent of the Alberta Egg Producers Board.
“The board will not be involved in owning a plant,” said Susan Gal of the egg producers.
Since the majority of Alberta’s eggs are produced in the south, it would be practical to have a processor located there to shave transportation costs, said Gal.
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There is a small family-owned plant in north-central Alberta at Two Hills that receives 10,000 boxes per week. A box contains 15 dozen eggs.
Most of these eggs come from Alberta but during a shortfall, product is shipped from other provinces. The company processes the eggs into frozen, dried and liquid products. A plant in Winnipeg uses eggs to produce sophisticated pharmaceuticals.
Profits from processing
Processed eggs are often sold at a loss. If producers started a plant they would be able to gain the facility’s profits.
At one time, between 10 and 15 percent of eggs were further processed. The demand has reached 25 percent of available eggs.
Alberta’s egg quota is 35 million dozen per year.
There is actually a shortage of fresh table eggs in the province so additional product is shipped from Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
While Alberta recently received a 10 percent increase in quota, Gal estimates the province could use another 200,000 birds to cover the shortage.
