KNYSNA NEWS - Looks like nobody will be having their cake, nor will they be eating it soon as butter and eggs are quickly becoming a rare commodity in South Africa.

Just pop down to your local grocery store and you might find the shelves for these two ingredients quite bare. 

One example is Pick n Pay in Woodmill Lane, Knysna, which set up a sign outside their door on Monday 23 October saying, "There is currently a shortage of some varieties of eggs in the Western Cape."

Maybe you’ve noticed the barren butter shelf at your favourite supermarket and are wondering if it’s those "damn banters" bulk-buying for the end of the world. 

But you’re wrong. Sort of.

Currently, there is a worldwide shortage of butter due to a variety of factors. One is the switch from low-fat dairy back to full-fat products after years of demonisation, especially butter.

Lower milk production globally and the drought in South Africa have also contributed to the butter shortage.

Even Clover SA has said that a major shortage of butter is being experienced in the country and that it's uncertain how long this will last.

Spokesperson for the butter brand Ladismith, Rian van der Merwe, said production is lower due to consumers’ demand for full-fat products‚ which means less cream – from whence butter comes. 

He added that the situation could get worse as less milk is currently being produced.

Head of the Milk Producers' Organisation in South Africa Chris van Dijk has said that other countries around the world have also been producing less milk this year compared with previous years. 

These include Argentina‚ Uruguay‚ New Zealand and Australia. 

Even the UK and the US have reportedly been experiencing butter shortages due to increased demand.

Eggs
Pick n Pay spokesperson Tamra Veley said the company is concerned about the outbreak of avian flu, "which is having a devastating impact on local producers, particularly in the Western Cape".

She said the retail giant is working closely with their suppliers nationwide to keep shelves stocked. 

"We are strongly supportive of our loyal suppliers and urge government to give the industry all the support they need."

What about the stores not yet experiencing shortages of eggs?

SuperSpar Knysna's general manager Leon Terblanche said their shelves are fully stocked at the moment, but that the future looks bleak.

"Spar in the Eastern Cape sources 70% of their eggs from the Western Cape and only 30% in the EC itself. Eventually the issue of eggs will become a supply and demand kind of situation with prices rising – the kind of situation where the highest bidder will get the supply," he said.

According to Terblanche consumers can expect to see a problem with egg supply half-way through November.

Government input
In lieu of the avian flu that has wormed its way into the Western Cape, even the provincial government has issued warnings of possible egg shortages.

Recently provincial minister of economic opportunities Alan Winde said the province has already lost almost 65% of its egg-laying poultry, which may lead to shortages of eggs and poultry products.

“The number of culled birds stands at 2.7-million, of which 2.6-million were layer hens,” he said.

“Some shortages of poultry products may be experienced over the coming weeks as a result of the action taken to tackle the avian influenza. This was unavoidable given the extent of the outbreak, and we are doing what we can to assist the industry to recover as quickly as possible,” he said.

During a media briefing held by the provincial department of agriculture earlier this week, an update on avian influenza and its economic impact was given.

To date, there are 56 confirmed cases of avian flu in the Western Cape. Apart from the R800-million in production losses, a further R75-million loss in the cull buyer market is expected.

The provincial minister of local government, environmental affairs and development planning Anton Bredell, who is responsible for disaster management operations, said the province is monitoring the ongoing situation and is working to curb the impact and further spread of the disease in the province.

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