Which are the world’s largest egg producers?

The biggest egg-producing companies in the world are less concentrated in a few countries as the World’ Top Poultry Companies database reveals.

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Photo by Austin Alonzo
Photo by Austin Alonzo

Global Top 20 Egg Producers 1

The largest laying flock in the world is more than four times the size of the 20th.

Twelve of the world’s top 20 egg producers measured by flock size are in the Americas. While the U.S. is home to six of this 11, it is a Mexican company that ranks second, while Asian companies take positions four and five, according to data compiled for WATT Global Media's World’s Top Poultry Companies database.

The world continues to produce more eggs and, as in any other market, higher growth rates are often easier to achieve in less developed countries than in mature markets. This is propelling countries from around the world, particularly from faster growing countries where incomes are rising, higher up the rankings.

United States

Cal-Maine Foods continues to lead the rankings. Its layer flock, at 40.1 million birds, is almost 20 percent larger than that of its nearest rival on the global stage.

The U.S.’s Versova Holdings comes in at sixth place with 16.4 million birds, closely followed by Rembrandt Enterprises with 12.5 million layers.

While companies in the U.S. may continue to dominate the top 20, their presence is more diluted than when Poultry International last looked at the world’s 20 largest egg producers. At that time, U.S. companies alone filled 12 of the top slots.

Leading Usa Egg Producers 2

The U.S. is home to the largest layer flock in the world, and U.S. companies occupy seven of the top slots in the top 20 rankings.

Latin America

Latin America is home to more than 20 percent of the birds owned by the world’s 20 leading egg producers, and the greatest individual share resides with Mexican producer Proteina Animal (PROAN), which can boast a flock of 33 million, the second biggest in the world.

The next largest Latin American egg producer by flock size is Brazil’s Granja Mantiqueira, small by comparison, but with a flock comprising 12 million birds, and keeping company with the country’s Granja Yabuta at No.18 with 10 million layers.

Also with 10 million birds apiece, Mexico’s El Calvario and Empreseas Guadalupe occupy slots 16 and 17, respectively.

How production is changing is well illustrated via a simple comparison between the U.S. and Mexican Industries. Over the past 20 years, U.S. egg production has expanded by a very respectable 33.5 percent. The Mexican industry, however, expanded output by more than 120 percent over the period, according to analysis from University of Vechta.

Leading Latin American Egg Producers 3

Mexico and Brazil are home to the largest egg producers, with flocks significantly larger than rival producers in Latin America.

Asia

Asian companies have secured two of the top slots in the global top five egg producers. Coming in at fourth place is Thailand’s CP Group, owner of 22 million birds, and in fifth place comes Japan’s Ise Inc. with 20 million birds.

Bangladesh’s Kazi Farms group is the only other Asian company to appear in the top 10 with 12.7 million layers.

Chinese companies are still noticeably absent from the top 20, with the exception of CP-owned concerns,  but it can only be a matter of time before they start to appear in the lower ranks, with at least one hovering just outside.

Leading Asian Egg Producers 4

While no Chinese company appears in the top 20, the country’s Beijing DQY Agriculture Technology may enter the listing in the near future, as it is the fifth-largest producer in the region.

Changes ahead

How will these rankings change in the future?

Asian companies are increasingly likely to appear ever higher up the rankings. It is worth remembering that two decades ago, Asia accounted for approximately 55 percent of global egg production. This has now increased to more than 60 percent.

Where the Americas are concerned, share of global egg production would appear to have remained broadly the same over the past 20 years. However, look more deeply and changes are taking place.

In the mid-1990s, the U.S. accounted for approximately 15.5 percent of global egg production and Latin America could claim 6.6 percent. Moving forward two decades, these shares in the U.S. have fallen to 12.4 percent and, in Latin America, have risen to 7.7 percent.

Nothing can be taken for granted, and while demand for eggs around the world continues to rise, markets are never perfect. Trade barriers can arise, and there is always the unexpected. Numerous producers have been hit by avian influenza, for example.

Illustrative of how things can quickly change is Ukraine’s Avangardco. Once owner of the third largest layer flock in the world, the company has now fallen to unlucky 13th place in the top 20. While it may still be the largest European producer in the rankings, its flock has contracted by 60 percent. The only other European company to appear in the top 20 is France’s Avril Group, coming in at No. 14, and also a company that has undergone significant change.

 

Who are the world’s largest egg producers?

www.WATTAgNet.com/articles/20682

 

Access the World’s Top Poultry Companies in full at:

www.WATTAgNet.com/worldtoppoultry.html

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