Global egg production has grown remarkably over the past decade, and now there’s a 10-year push to double the average consumption to 365 eggs per person per year, or one egg daily.
The initiative, Vision 365, has been launched by the International Egg Commission, which describes it as a plan “to unleash the full potential of eggs by developing the nutritional reputation of the egg on a global scale”.
“With the whole industry’s support, this initiative will enable us to build the reputation of the egg, based on scientific fact, positioning eggs as an essential food for health,” the commission says.
South Africa has a long way to go to meet that target. The local industry’s Poultry Bulletin reported this year that average consumption was 159 eggs per person per year, and the industry planned to increase this to 209 eggs per year, raising consumption by four eggs per person per month.
The way to do this, the Egg Board’s Colin Steenhuisen explained, is through community and school feeding schemes, and prisons and other government contracts, backed by consumer education and egg marketing campaigns.
The local target of 209 eggs per person per year is a large step from current consumption rates. But if the industry can complete the giant leap to 365 eggs per person annually by 2032, that will be a massive boost for investment and job creation.
