New Balticovo barns will increase manufacturing proportion of eggs laid outside cages in Latvia by 10%

An immuring ceremony of a capsule in the foundation of AS Balticovo’s new project – a barn for the hens kept outside cages – took place on 19th  of March. Total investment of the project amounts to EUR 8 million, and the first two barns together, will ensure 260,000 new bird places.

“Implementation of the new project is a well thought out response to the Scandinavian and Western European demand for number 2 or cage-free eggs and egg products. Although this demand is relatively small in the domestic market, it is increasingly growing in export markets. There is a growing demand for both eggs and high value-added products such as boiled eggs, scrambled eggs and other products that are just starting out in the Latvian market- but are already on high demand in export markets. The new barns will ensure 260,000 new places for laying hens, which will increase the number of places for laying hens and new hens of Balticovo to threshold of 3 million”, explains Chairman of the Council of AS Balticovo Valdis Grimze.

The current proportion of cage-free eggs in Latvia is about 5.5%. At the beginning of 2020, when the launch of the new barns is planned, this volume will increase to about 14% of the total volume of eggs produced in Latvia.

“This is an important step towards the future, as it demonstrates the ability and readiness of AS Balticovo to switch to the production of number 2 eggs. The moment the Latvian and the Baltic market is ready, AS Balticovo will be able to satisfy demand”, emphasises Toms Auškāps, the Director of Communications and Development at AS Balticovo. “In the first phase of the project, which is currently under way, it is planned to build three barns - two for laying hens and one for young hens. More barns for laying hens are planned to be built over time.”

The Chairman of Iecava Municipality Council Aivars Mačeks also took part in the capsule immuring ceremony: “We are pleased that the municipality has developed good cooperation with Balticovo in various cultural and sports projects, as well as in promoting entrepreneurship in the municipality. The municipality is really pleased to be a part of this event, where one of its biggest companies places the foundation stone for such a large and important project, because we would be nothing without our entrepreneurs!”

The Executive Director of the Latvian Association of Egg Producers Anna Ērliha also took part in disseminating the message: “World demand for eggs laid outside the cage is growing rapidly. To act here and now is the right decision in order not to miss “jumping in the train” and to be able to offer consumers the product that they want, when they want it. I believe that this is the right step to bring not only the name of the company, but also of Latvia into the wider world.”