China grandparent egg breeder imports down in 2012

As China has developed and promoted its local-brand egg breeders, the proportion of domestically produced grandparent egg breeders used in China is gradually increasing, from 31 percent in 2006 to 48 percent in 2011, leading to a decrease in imports. According to China Poultry Industry Association statistics, the number of grandparent egg breeders imported in January–August 2012 was 82,446, one-third of what was imported in 2011.
Another reason for the reduction in imports is the fact that the profit that comes from raising them is rather small. From September 2011 to June 2012, chicken egg prices have been continuously falling. In the first half of 2012, the profits from chicken eggs were negligible. After June, in spite of the increase in chicken egg prices, feed prices also increased, causing profits to remain meager. According to experts, it's possible that breeders were cautious in re-filling their stocks.