Chinese Eggs Hit Pakistani Markets

The first shipment of Chinese broiler eggs has arrived in Pakistan, marking a significant step in the country’s efforts to address the growing demand for poultry products.

This inaugural shipment of homegrown white broiler eggs from China was successfully exported to Pakistan via a flight from Guangzhou Baiyun Airport, signaling an important development in agricultural trade between the two nations.

The cargo included 172,800 “Guangming No 2” White Feathered Broiler eggs, bred domestically by Foshan Gaoming District Xinguang Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Co Ltd and the Beijing Institute of Animal Science of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. This is the first time China has exported its poultry breed to Pakistan.

These eggs, imported to support local poultry production, arrive at a time when the industry is facing supply shortages and rising costs.

The decision to import broiler eggs from China was driven by the increasing poultry consumption in Pakistan, fueled by population growth and changing dietary habits.

The local poultry industry has been under pressure to meet the surging demand, especially after recent challenges such as feed shortages and disease outbreaks that impacted production.

While chicken prices have dipped, egg prices have soared in Lahore.

Industry experts believe that the import of Chinese broiler eggs could help stabilize the market by ensuring a steady supply of chicken in the coming months.

The eggs will be distributed to various hatcheries across the country, where they will be incubated and raised to meet domestic market needs.

According to China Economic Net, the “Guangming No 2” White Feather Broiler reaches over 3kg in weight at 42 days and has a feed-to-weight ratio of 1.32-1.5:1. With rapid growth and a high survival rate, the 172,800 hatching eggs exported to Pakistan could yield more than 50,000 sets of parent broilers after 21 days of incubation. These broilers could, in turn, produce over 7 million commercial broilers, equating to more than 21,000 tonnes of chicken.

Currently, Pakistan faces a situation similar to what China once experienced, with only about half a dozen companies in the country importing all grandparent stock. These grandparent birds produce parent stock, which in turn produces broilers for mass consumption.