Canada's table and processed egg industry

... at a glance

• Egg Farmers of Canada is the national organization responsible for the production and marketing of eggs in Canada.
• In 2023, the egg sector in Canada generated $1.8 billion in farm cash receipts, contributing 1.8% of cash receipts from agricultural operations in Canada.
• Canada had 1,243 registered egg producers across the country, with the majority (52%) concentrated in Ontario and Quebec, 44% in Western provinces and the Northwest Territories, and 4% in Atlantic provinces.
• Canada also counted 182 federally registered egg grading stations and 20 federally registered processing egg establishments in Canada.
• In 2023, over 791 million dozen eggs were graded, 58% of which were produced in Ontario and Quebec.
• The egg market in Canada is divided into two categories, table eggs and processed eggs. The table egg market, mostly supplying the retail and food service market, accounts for approximately 66% of the Canadian egg production. Meanwhile, the egg processing sector, supplying the industrial, food service and retail sectors, accounts for the balance (approximately 33%).
• Processed eggs are produced from shell eggs broken and processed into whole eggs, albumen, and yolks, in liquid, frozen, or dried form. These are also transformed into other products such as scrambled egg mix, hard cooked eggs, and egg patties. Processed egg products are also sold to further processors for the manufacturing of many food items such as bakery products, mayonnaise, and noodles, along with specialty items such as shampoo, pet foods and adhesives.
• In 2023, total domestic disappearance was equivalent to 847.9 million dozens of eggs, up 1.8 % compared to last year. Per capita disappearance 21.2 dozen, 1.1 % below the previous year.
• Canadian egg production is supplemented by imports in the form of shell eggs, shell eggs for breaking, egg products and egg powder, subject to import controls such as Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQ's), and policies pertaining to supplemental imports.
• In 2023, a total of 44.8 million dozen of shell eggs, mostly for breaking, and 2.5 million kilograms of processed eggs in the form of liquid, frozen and dried were imported into Canada. Meanwhile, Canadian processors exported 1.8 million kilograms of processed egg products. United States remains Canada’s main trading partner in the egg industry.
• The most popular breed of chicken for egg production in Canada is the White Leghorn.

Statistics

• Provincial rankings by grade
• Egg import and export
• Interprovincial movement of table eggs
• Table egg prices
• Processed egg products
• Processed egg storage stocks

Publications

• Code of practice for the care and handling of hatching eggs, breeders, chickens and turkeys