Scorching temperatures in eastern China have pushed up egg prices as hens lay less in a hotter-than-usual summer, local media reported.
Extreme weather events have become more common due to climate change, scientists say, and this is likely to intensify as temperatures rise, impacting economies and societies around the world.
Several major cities in China recorded their hottest days ever this year, and the country’s national observatory issued a red alert on Monday.
And the heat wave not only puts people under stress, but also animals.
In the city of Hefei, farmers reported a drop in egg production due to the heat, according to a report by Jianghuai Morning News last week, adding that some facilities have installed cooling systems for their chickens.
The drop in supply in several provinces has sent egg prices skyrocketing.
They rose about 30 percent in Hefei, the capital of Anhui province, and there were similar spikes in the cities of Hangzhou and Hai’an, according to local media.
Hefei has recorded temperatures above 38 degrees Celsius for 14 days so far, Hefei told Evening News, noting that it was a record.
According to the US Department of Agriculture, prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures can exacerbate production losses in animals, including eggs and milk.
While the number of laying hens in China has not decreased, they have been eating less on hot days, the Qianjiang Evening News added.
The heat wave has forced not only poultry farms but also electricity rationing in the Sichuan lithium hub amid rising demand for electricity.
Provinces like Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui, which rely on electricity from western China, have also issued electricity restrictions for industrial users to ensure households have enough electricity, local media reported.
And in east China’s Jiangxi province, which is being hit by a severe drought, 11,000 people have struggled to access drinking water while more than 140,000 hectares of crops have been damaged, according to the official Xinhua news agency on Tuesday.
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