Egg Marketing Authority

Press, 1 May 1980, Page 20

Egg Marketing Authority

Sir, — I would like to ask Mr G. Kermode, General Manager of the Egg Market-

ing Authority, what specific-! ally are the advantages-, to the consumer , of the Egg Marketing Authority? I can well understand what the advantages are to the producer. And, second, I would like to know if the eggs would be cheaper, the same price or more expensive to the consumer if the Egg Marketing Authority did not exist? — Yours, etc,, ALAN FALLOON. April 9, 1980.

[Mr G. G. Kermode, gene- . ral manager, Egg Marketing Authority, replies: “The Egg Marketing Authority’s principal functions are to ensure the New Zealand market is kept fully supplied with top quality eggs and that these .are' equitably distributed in the general interests of producers and consumers. The authority has been successful in meeting this obligation, in bringing stability to what used to be a very unstable industry and at the same time regulating the supply of eggs throughout New Zealand, despite uneven pockets of production and demand throughout New Zealand. Over the last decade the price of eggs has increased at a lower rate than virtually any foodstuff you may wish to compare, certainly at a far lower rate than any other major protein food. Without the authority consumers would be confronted with an erratic supply of eggs (in some areas more so than others) and fluctuating prices, but because of inefficiencies and wastages which would occur there is no doubt that overall average egg prices would be far higher than they are today.”]