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France Confronts Egg Shortages as Minister Moves to Ease Farm-Building Rules

France's agriculture minister urges easing building rules to expand poultry housing.

Overview

  • Supermarkets report intermittent empty shelves after severe weather and prefectural truck bans disrupted deliveries nationwide.
  • Industry leaders say hens kept laying but eggs stayed stored on farms, with avian influenza further curbing collection from infected flocks.
  • Consumption climbed to about 240 eggs per person in 2025, stretching capacity even as France produced roughly 15.4–15.5 billion eggs last year.
  • The shift toward free‑range systems reduces stocking density and requires new facilities, with estimates calling for roughly one million extra laying hens per year.
  • Minister Annie Genevard promotes applying the Duplomb law to remove siting barriers and counter local opposition, while limited imports and long‑term contracts help restrain retail prices.