The Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture has proposed banning the keeping of caged hens starting in 2035 and additionally seeks to prohibit the installation of new cages for laying hens from 2026.

Minister of Agriculture Piret Hartman (SDE) stated that the ban on keeping hens in cages will affect both consumers and local businesses, with the aim of improving the welfare of laying hens at the European level as well.

"The goal is to take a significant step forward while providing clarity to the businesses currently engaged in egg production in Estonia. We hope that producers are already prepared for this and have done their preliminary work, so we will certainly take the initiative in Europe as well, to ensure that these conditions are more uniform and equitable for businesses," Hartman said.

The minister also noted that they hope to influence local producers with European funds to ensure that the change does not increase the price of eggs for consumers. In addition, both the ministry and businesses hope that these restrictions will lead to an increase in domestic egg production.

Allan Tohver, the head of Dava Foods, Estonia's largest egg producer, said that throughout Scandinavia and elsewhere in Europe, over 90 percent of eggs purchased are local, while more than 50 percent of the eggs in Estonia are imported.

"Currently, there are over 600,000 laying hens in Estonia, 81 percent of which are kept in cages. The eggs from perch-raised hens are 10 percent more expensive, and free-range eggs are up to 30 percent more expensive than those from caged hens," Tohver noted.

He explained that the cost of keeping hens will likely be reflected in market prices, as not only new buildings or ventilation systems need to be established, but the equipment inside the henhouses also requires updating.

"Perches for the hens, feeding stations, drinking stations, manure removal belts – all of this costs around €50-55 per hen," Tohver pointed out.

Kristina Mering, CEO of the NGO Nähtamatud Loomad (Invisible Animals), expressed strong support for the ministry's plan, noting that the change is driven by significant public interest in improving hen welfare.

"Nähtamatud Loomad will certainly continue to work on gathering support in the Riigikogu. If we look at what's happening in neighboring countries and the Estonian market, I believe we'll see a shift towards more free-range farming much earlier, especially considering that Estonian retail chains have announced that by 2025 most will switch to selling only free-range eggs," she said.

Mering added that if Estonian producers do not quickly begin offering a sufficient supply of free-range eggs, unfortunately, we may see an increase in eggs from neighboring countries on Estonian shelves.

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