Spain is without doubt one of the main Eu international locations in poultry manufacturing and industry. In 2020, it ranked in fourth position in poultry meat manufacturing and in 3rd position in egg manufacturing. Over the last decade, it additionally turned into one of the most main egg and poultry meat exporting international locations. In two papers, the dynamics and patterns of the 2 sectors might be analysed, protecting the last decade between 2010 and 2020.
Hans-Wilhelm Windhorst – The writer is Professor emeritus on the College of Vechta and visiting Professor on the College of Veterinary Medication, Hannover, Germany
The function of the Spanish egg business in home agriculture and within the EU
Egg manufacturing performs a very powerful function within the Spanish poultry business and in agriculture (Desk 1). A better have a look at the improvement between 2010 and 2020 finds that against the tip of the previous decade, the contribution to general animal manufacturing and agriculture diminished. 
One reason why for the declining price of egg manufacturing is the quick enlargement of the swine business, which in 2020 reached a proportion of 42.8% in animal manufacturing and of 16.4% in general agriculture; a 2d, the affects of the Covid-19 pandemic. The robust fluctuation may be because of the important transformation of housing methods as a result of the banning of typical cages within the EU from 2012 on.
In 2020, Spain ranked in 3rd position in the back of Germany and France in egg manufacturing with a proportion of 13.1% within the EU (27) manufacturing quantity (Desk 2). In a later a part of the paper, the ordinary dynamics since 2010 might be documented.
Substantial fluctuation within the laying rooster stock and in housing methods
As in all EU member international locations, the banning of typical cages from 2012 on brought about really extensive fluctuations within the laying rooster stock and within the housing methods for laying hens additionally in Spain.
Determine 1 paperwork the lower of the choice of laying hens from 46.6 mill. birds in 2010 to 38.4 mill. in 2012, a results of the important trade within the housing methods. In 2010, 81% of the hens have been nonetheless stored in typical cages and simplest 14% in enriched cages. Within the following years, a stepwise transformation needed to be realised. In 2020, enriched cages have been the dominant housing device with a proportion of 78%. Barn and free-range methods adopted with 13% respectively 8%. As in maximum Southern Eu international locations, natural methods have been nonetheless simplest of teenybopper significance. The transformation of the housing methods took six years and it was once now not ahead of 2020, after two years of a discount, that with a brand new most of 47.1 mill. hens, the stock of 2010 was once surpassed (Determine 2).
Dynamics in egg manufacturing displays trade in housing methods
The transformation of the housing methods with adjustments of the inventories ended in a substantial dynamics in egg manufacturing (Desk 3, Determine 3).
The banning of typical cages from 2012 on resulted in a discount of egg farms from 1,755 in 2008 to at least one,157 in 2012 or even 1,087 in 2013. Within the following years, farms with typical cages had both to be given up or remodeled to an alternate device. Fairly clearly, a substantial choice of egg farmers give up manufacturing. Or even in 2010, their quantity was once nonetheless 22.5% less than in 2008. In 2010, 1,466 egg farms produced 13.3 billion eggs, ten years later, 1,379 farms 15.1 billion. Desk 3 presentations that the manufacturing quantity with 918,000 t in 2020 was once simplest somewhat upper than in 2010. The common dimension of the farms greater however the reasonable egg weight diminished. This can be a results of relatively younger flocks, because the stock grew from 45.8 mill. hens in 2019 to 47.1 mill. in 2020.
Nice variations within the regional focus of eggs farms and of egg manufacturing
From the knowledge in Desk 4 one can simply see that the regional focus within the choice of egg farms and in egg manufacturing differed significantly.
Whilst simplest 8.0% of the Spanish egg farms have been situated in Castile L. a. Mancha, they shared 24.9% in egg manufacturing. Then again, 11.3% of the egg farms have been situated at the Canary Islands, however they simply shared 2.4% in egg manufacturing. It’s obtrusive that the farms in Castile L. a. Mancha have been a lot larger than within the different provinces and that with as proportion of in combination 41% the 2 Castile provinces are the centre of the Spanish egg business.
Exceptional dynamics in Spanish egg industry
Spain is without doubt one of the main egg and egg merchandise exporting international locations. In 2020, it ranked in fourth position with shell eggs for intake exports and in 3rd position with egg merchandise.
Together with hatching eggs and shell egg equivalents for egg merchandise, the total export quantity greater from 144,300 t in 2010 to 266,300 in 2020 or by means of 84.5%. Determine 4 presentations the really extensive fluctuation throughout the transformation of the housing methods. Imports reached their best possible price in 2017 with over 92,000 t and declined to just 58,600 t in 2020.
Right through the transformation, exports of shell eggs for intake declined all of a sudden as a result of empty farms. To catch up on the commercial losses, exports of hatching eggs won in significance, as no chicks and pullets may well be positioned (Desk 5). As quickly because the transformation was once finished and the farms have been stuffed once more, the exports of hatching eggs declined very rapid, and eggs for intake exports greater. However, they have been nonetheless less than in 2010.
It’s value noting that throughout the transformation procedure the industry flows to EU member international locations and non-EU international locations modified significantly (Desk 6). In 2010, simplest 2.4% of the eggs have been exported to non-EU international locations, in 2020 their proportion was once 27.9%. Parallel to the rise of hatching egg exports, exports of egg merchandise additionally grew significantly, as eggs, which have been produced in typical cages throughout the transformation, may just nonetheless be offered to the egg processors.
Exports to EU member international locations taken with France, Italy and Portugal, with France in a dominating place with a proportion of 43.2%. The regional focus of exports to non-EU international locations was once a lot decrease. The 5 main international locations simplest shared 58.4% within the export quantity against this to 96.1% shared by means of the 5 main EU member international locations (Desk 7). It’s obtrusive that eggs have been exported to numerous non-EU international locations.
Egg imports have been simplest of teenybopper significance compared to exports. About 70% got here from France and Portugal. Hatching eggs have been basically imported from Germany, america and the Netherlands.
A comparability of the proportion of eggs and egg merchandise within the exports to EU and non-EU international locations finds some outstanding variations (Determine 5). In 2020, about 63% of the exports to EU member international locations have been shell eggs for intake and six% hatching eggs. Egg merchandise contributed 21%, of which 16 have been liquid entire eggs. Against this, 73% of the exports to non-EU international locations have been shell eggs for intake and 23% hatching eggs. Egg merchandise have been simplest of teenybopper significance. Right here, transportation distances have been the proscribing issue.
Abstract and views
The previous research confirmed that the transformation of the housing methods for laying hens had far-reaching affects at the Spanish laying rooster stock, on egg manufacturing and egg exports. The banning of typical cages from 2012 on was once a serious problem for egg farmers as in 2010 nonetheless 81% of the hens have been stored in typical cages. The enforced transformation to choice housing methods now not simplest brought about a pointy aid of the laying rooster stock but additionally of egg manufacturing. The export quantity of shell eggs for intake diminished dramatically inside a couple of years. To catch up on the commercial losses, extra hatching eggs and egg merchandise have been exported. Even in 2020, the quantity of shell egg for intake exports had now not reached the worth of 2010 once more. 
The robust fluctuation in egg manufacturing and egg exports brought about really extensive adjustments within the egg costs for the patron and ended in adjustments of the in keeping with capita intake and the self-sufficiency price (Determine 6). The Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown brought about a pointy aid of holiday makers and of the home egg call for. The lower may just, alternatively, be compensated by means of upper exports. With expanding tourism and the next home call for, the export volumes of eggs and egg merchandise my decline on this and the following 12 months.
Knowledge resources
Beck, M.: MEG-Marktbilanz: Eier und Geflügel 2021. Bonn 2021.
Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación (MAPA), Dirección Basic de Producciones y Mercados Agrarios (Ed.): El sector de los angeles avicultura de puesta en cifras. Madrid, Junio 2021.