Spike in prices in eastern China as hens lay fewer eggs
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BEIJING • Scorching temperatures in eastern China have pushed up the prices of eggs because hens are laying fewer in a hotter-than-usual summer, the local media reported.
Extreme weather has become more frequent owing to climate change, scientists say, and this will likely grow more intense as temperatures rise, impacting economies and societies around the world.
Multiple major cities in China have recorded their hottest days ever this year. And the heatwave is putting not only humans but also animals under stress.
In Hefei, capital of the eastern Anhui province, farmers reported a drop in egg production because of the heat, a Jianghuai Morning News report said last week, adding that some facilities have installed cooling systems for their hens.
The drop in supply in several provinces has caused egg prices to jump.
In Hefei, prices were up around 30 per cent, and there were similar spikes in the cities of Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province, and Hai'an in Jiangsu province - both in eastern China - according to the local media.
Hefei has so far logged 14 days of temperatures above 38 deg C, Hefei Evening News said, noting that this was a record.
Sustained exposure to extreme temperatures can exacerbate losses in production from animals, including eggs and milk, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
While the number of hens laying in China has not decreased, they have been eating less on hot days, according to Qianjiang Evening News.
In south-eastern China's Jiangxi province, which is in the grip of a severe drought, 11,000 people had difficulty accessing drinking water, while more than 140,000ha of crops were damaged, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
