Canadian Egg Output Down On Year

OTTAWA - May 28/08 - SNS -- Canadian egg production is off to a slow start in Canada this year, with output in each month during the first quarter below the comparable month last year, according to the latest data available from Statistics Canada.

Output in the January to March quarter totalled 144.7 million dozen eggs, down 0.56% from the 145.6 million produced last year, but comparable to output in 2006. Egg production in 2007, at 577.4 million dozen, was down 0.5% from 2006. The central region produces over half of the eggs in Canada. Ontario alone produced 227 million dozen eggs in 2007 while Quebec, with 101.5 million dozen, produced 17.6% of the Canadian total.

The value of poultry products totalled $2.8 billion in 2007, a 10.6% increase from 2006. Sales of poultry meat, including turkey, showed an increase of 13.3% with a total value of $2.1 billion. The value of egg sales increased 3.9% from 2006 to $762.5 million.

Canadian farmers produced 1.2 million metric tons (MT) of poultry meat in 2007, virtually unchanged from 2006. Chicken, including stewing hens, accounts for 86% of all poultry meat produced. It increased 3.3% from year-ago levels. Turkey production stood at 169 000 MT in 2007, an increase of 3.4% from 2006.

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