Not everyone can afford such a substantial cost, says one egg producer stock.xchng / Eduardo Oride

Egg producers using the so-called battery hen system should spend a total of up to €300 million by the end of 2011 on replacing cage floors. The changes follow implementation enforced by European Union regulations, which ensure much more space for hens than in the older type of cages.

"Modernization of one cage floor for a hen will cost us €10-15. Not everyone can afford such a substantial cost and thus some will simply gave up producing eggs," said Rafał Ratajczak from SPJK Pa-Mi-Ra.

Expensive investments will, however, be borne by the Polish consumers who are already paying 7% more for eggs than last year. "If output goes down further, the price will automatically go up," said Ratajczak. Enterprises cannot afford investments, as some of them have not yet repaid loans taken for the cages they currently use.

Source: Rzeczpospolita