Initiative on Promoting the High-Quality Development of China's Laying Hen Industry

After more than 40 years of development, China's egg-laying chicken industry has ranked among the top in China's animal husbandry in terms of breeding techniques, the level of large-scale breeding, and market consumption volume. Influenced by multiple factors, since 2023, the number of laying hens in China has remained at a high level. The production capacity level has gradually evolved from the previous phased overcapacity to the current continuous and trend-oriented overcapacity. Coupled with prominent contradictions such as sluggish consumption growth, intensified cost competition, persistently low product prices, and a significant decline in industry profitability, the egg-laying chicken industry has entered an unprecedented period of deep adjustment. To break through the current development bottlenecks of China's egg-laying chicken industry and further promote high-quality development of the industry, we hereby issue the following initiative:

1.Optimize the supply structure and refrain from blindly expanding new production capacity. It is advocated that on the basis of the existing production capacity, inefficient and backward production capacity be proactively phased out, and no new production capacity be blindly expanded. At present, the industry predicament caused by the overcapacity of pigs serves as a warning to other livestock and poultry breeding: a dynamic balance mechanism centered on market demand must be established. We should have a sense of self-awareness, always maintain a sense of awe towards the market, take a clear stance against internal competition, and promote the transformation of the industry from "quantity competition" to "quality competition".

2. Adhere to the bottom line of compliance to ensure the foundation of egg safety. It is advocated to strictly enforce national laws and regulations such as the "Announcement No. 278 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs" and relevant national standards, resolutely prevent eggs with excessive drug residues from entering the market, and jointly safeguard the market reputation of "antibiotic-free egg products".

3. Improve the traceability system and ensure full transparency throughout the entire chain. It is advocated to use digitalization to empower the construction of the traceability system as a means, so that every egg in circulation in the market has an "identity file", ensuring that traceability information covers the entire process of egg production, allowing consumers to buy with confidence and eat with peace of mind.

4. Practice the green concept and drive healthy and sustainable development. It is advocated to organically combine ecological protection with production development, achieve an ecological closed loop of "livestock manure - organic fertilizer - crop planting", promote energy-saving and consumption-reducing livestock breeding technologies, and achieve a win-win situation of economic and ecological benefits.

5. Strengthen brand building to promote high-quality and high-priced industries. It is advocated to establish and improve a full-process standardized system for brand egg products, continuously increase efforts in cultivating brand eggs, tell good brand stories, enhance brand competitiveness, and create egg product brands with regional characteristics or national influence.

6. Extend the processing chain and expand the channels for industrial value-added. It is proposed to extend the egg processing and deep processing chain to regulate the supply and demand of fresh eggs, absorb excess capacity and increase the added value of products. Implement the "going global" development strategy to avoid price risks caused by domestic overcapacity.

7. Prevent core risks and promote the stable operation of the industry. It is proposed to establish a disease monitoring and early warning system, promote standardized epidemic prevention procedures, and reduce the impact of disease transmission on the industry. Reasonably control costs and benefits, establish a dynamic cash flow monitoring mechanism, and promptly issue early warnings and alleviate the pressure of capital turnover.

Dear colleagues, the high-quality development of the egg-laying chicken industry is closely related to people's well-being and the process of agricultural modernization. Let's join hands to implement the initiative, scientifically regulate to stabilize production capacity, strictly limit the use of antibiotics to ensure safety, strengthen trust through full-chain traceability, plan for the long term through green development, increase benefits through brand building, reduce production capacity through expansion and development, and maintain the bottom line through risk prevention. Together, let's promote China's egg-laying chicken industry to a new stage of higher quality, more efficient and more sustainable development Contribute to ensuring national food security and achieving the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas!