The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining says it is closely monitoring egg supply and overall market conditions, even as the Jamaica Egg Farmers Association (JEFA) has reported the displacement of their stock on supermarket shelves, in shops and hotels due to the importation of the commodity.

In a release, the ministry said it “notes recent comments in the media” and is aware of the disruption in the supply of local eggs following the passage of Hurricane Melissa in October 2025.

“It must be emphasised that the livelihood and economic viability of our egg farmers are paramount in the ministry’s consideration regarding egg importation and, as such, this measure is continuously monitored to ensure that Jamaican egg farmers and consumers are not placed at a disadvantage within the market,” the statement outlined.

At the time Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica, the egg-producing industry was still recovering from the impact of Hurricane Beryl in July 2024. The Jamaica Egg Farmers Association indicated after Hurricane Beryl that egg production was expected to normalise within approximately six months. However, supply did not return to pre-Hurricane Beryl levels, resulting in some hotels being unable to access their regular allocations and supermarkets implementing purchase limits.

Over a year later, Hurricane Melissa in 2025 significantly compounded these challenges, with reported losses of approximately 400,000 laying hens, substantially reducing national egg output. Based on the ministry’s post-Melissa market assessments, the domestic egg supply would decline by approximately 40 per cent, with an estimated recovery period of eight to twelve months.

Production data confirm that output for the first half of 2026 is projected to be 30-40 per cent below the average production levels for the last five years. Although production continues to improve month by month, projections indicate that monthly output will not surpass 2025 levels until August 2026, when clearer year-over-year gains are anticipated.

“It is important to note that in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, JEFA revised its recommended prices from $550.00 to $670.00 per dozen for unbranded eggs and from $580.00 to $700.00 per dozen for branded eggs, representing increases of approximately 21.8 per cent and 20.7 per cent, respectively,” the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining disclosed.

“The association attributed these adjustments to reduced production levels, as well as increased logistics and refrigeration costs,” the ministry shared further.

In response to JEFA and other stakeholders regarding the supply gap, the ministry approved limited egg imports as a temporary measure to ease supply constraints and until local production normalises, to provide price relief to consumers. To this end, the agriculture ministry sought a waiver of import duty, additional stamp duty and GCT for imported eggs.

The Ministry of Finance and the Public Service approved this request with a schedule for the waiver to end on February 28, 2026.

However, looking at current production data and recovery projections, the agriculture ministry is seeking an extension of the waiver until the end of May 2026, in the first instance, to ensure full market recovery and price stability.

“This targeted and time-bound intervention has helped and will continue to moderate prices while domestic production capacity is being restored.”

In the meantime, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining will continue to monitor supply levels and market conditions to safeguard stability as the sector progresses to full recovery.