Episode
Ep 40 | Rebecca Tierney: Ireland’s Egg Shortage: Why Rising Demand Isn’t Translating Into Farmer Confidence
- Podcast
- The Poultry Network Podcast
- Published
- May 1, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2240
- Processing state
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Summary
Episode summary In this episode, Tom Woolman and Tom Willings are joined by Rebecca Tierney , specialised poultry advisor at Teagasc , to discuss the current pressures facing Ireland’s egg sector. Rebecca explains how Irish egg consumption has risen sharply in recent years, moving from around 181 eggs per person to approximately 215–225 eggs per person . Despite strong consumer demand, production has not expanded fast enough to keep up, leading to visible gaps on supermarket shelves. The conversation explores why producers are hesitant to invest, including the high cost of building new free-range units, Ireland’s substantial land requirements, limited farmgate returns, and ongoing risks such as avian influenza. Rebecca also discusses the role of retailers, the need for fairer value to be passed back to farmers, and the importance of better industry data and longer-term confidence. The episode closes by looking at lessons Ireland may be able to learn from the UK egg sector, where severe shortages eventually led to changes in pricing, contracts and supply-chain relationships. Key talking points Teagasc and Rebecca’s role Rebecca introduces Teagasc as Ireland’s agriculture and food development authority, covering advisory, education and research across sectors including poultry, dairy, beef, sheep, tillage, horticulture, forestry and pigs. Ireland’s growing appetite for eggs Egg consumption in Ireland has increased significantly over recent years, but production has not expanded at the same pace. This has contributed to empty shelves and pressure on the supply chain. Why producers are not expanding fast enough Rebecca explains that a standard 16,000-bird free-range unit may now cost around €1.5–€1.6 million to build. At the same time, current producer returns are not seen…