PI: Qing Yang

Date Awarded: February 2022 (FSRF 39)

Executive Summary:

The purpose of this report is to map the key stakeholders which affect the transition from cage to cage‐free systems in the egg industry in the People’s Republic of China (hereafter referred as to China).

Background

China has been the world’s largest egg producer for the past three decades, with nearly 3.1 billion laying hens in 2019. It is estimated that 90% of laying hens are housed in conventional cages, and the rest is believed to mostly be housed in small‐scale free‐range and backyard farms. Cage‐free systems on large‐scale commercial egg farms are rarely used in Chinese egg production. Although dozens of international food businesses have made public pledges to exclusively source cage‐free eggs in the Chinese market, these corporations are facing challenges in implementing these policies, one of which is a lack of cage‐free supply in the region.

Why stakeholder mapping

This report provides a detailed stakeholder map to identify the key actors that impact the transition to cage‐free production systems in the Chinese egg farming industry. The report also gives recommendations on engagement strategies to facilitate the efficient allocation of resources and strategic engagement with the most influential stakeholders, which will all contribute to the success of implementing cage‐free initiatives in China.

Methods

Broadly, the methods involved:

1) A review of the Chinese stakeholders’ network in the egg industry in scientific literature

2) A review of existing stakeholder‐relevant information in other publicly accessible information sources, such as web news, government documents, media reports, and social media platforms

3) Interviews with some key stakeholders using a purposive sampling strategy, to maximise the accumulation of knowledge of stakeholders in a timely manner.

Further Information: Completed report can be found here.