By: Eoghan Olkeriil Ngirudelsang
KOROR, Palau — Taiwanese eggs hit grocery store shelves in Palau for the first time last Friday, offering consumers a more affordable alternative to U.S.-imported eggs, which have soared to over $10 per dozen.
The new shipment, sold at WCTC Shopping Center in cartons of 10 for $6.55, represents a significant price drop. Eggs from Taiwan are now also being sold at Surangel’s, one of Palau’s grocery stores.
“These eggs from Taiwan cost less and are much fresher,” said WCTC General Manager Anna Tsao Abellera. She noted that shipping from Taiwan takes about two weeks—half the time of U.S. shipments, which can take up to a month.
WCTC imported a total of 82,000 eggs in this initial shipment, partnering with Mao-Lin Animal Welfare Poultry Farm, a Taiwanese producer that prides itself on health and animal welfare standards.
Representatives Geoffrey and Tina Lin, children of the farm’s owner, said their hens are 100% cage-free and fed a whole grain vegetarian diet. The farm has never been affected by avian influenza or other bird diseases, they said.
“Our chickens and eggs have passed all required government safety certifications, including third-party animal welfare audits,” Geoffrey Lin said during the launch event in Koror, pointing to certification stamps on a promotional banner.
The entire export process—from finding a distributor to clearing quarantine paperwork—took about two months, according to the Lin siblings.
Abellera said the eggs are selling well and WCTC looks forward to receiving future shipments to help stabilize egg prices in Palau.