Korea plans to increase egg imports and hatchlings for the rest of 2021. This may provide opportunities for Australian exporters to grow trade in fresh table eggs and poultry hatchlings
Korea increased egg imports because of an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). This reduced domestic flock numbers and limited domestic egg production.
In response, the Korean Government has removed import tariffs on eggs until 31 December 2021.
Korea recognises Australia's HPAI-free status and there is strong interest in:
- Australian eggs for consumption
- Australian hatchlings to rebuild flocks.
Market insights
- Australia's global exports of eggs and hatchlings have been declining since 2018–19 (see Figure 1).
- On 2 July 2021, Korea lifted an import ban on all Australian egg/poultry and their products. Korea imposed the ban after HPAI was detected in Victoria in 2020.
- The Korean Government has removed tariffs on imported eggs until 31 December 2021.
- Tariff rates for Australian eggs were 15% under the Korea-Australia Free Trade Agreement (KAFTA) before the tariff freeze.
- The KAFTA tariff rate for hatchlings is 0% for non-pure-bred hatchlings and 4.2% for pure-bred hatchlings.
Figure 1: Australia's global exports of eggs and hatchlings, 2016–17 to 2020–21
Source: ABS 2021
Resources
Micor has more information on the export of table eggs and hatchlings to Korea.
Exporters should also familiarise themselves with the relevant tariffs, quotas and documents required to export under the Korea-Australia Free Trade Agreement.
Austrade has more information about the Korean market.
