Farmers "totally against" more egg production amid Market Drayton plans

The application, lodged on behalf of Rupert Chitty, has been met with a backlash, with more than 230 objections lodged online and more than 3,000 people putting their name to a petition.

Now the British Free Range Egg Producers Association (BFREPA) has railed against the plans. According to the organisation, the number of free range eggs passing through UK packing station in the first quarter of this year was 3.9 million, up by almost 11% on the previous year.

The new figures are likely to increase fears of the free range egg market slipping into oversupply and pushing down prices.

Robert Gooch, chief executive of BFREPA, said: ‘We, as an organisation which represents all egg farmers, are totally against any extra egg production, new or existing. The supply of eggs is currently running 5% above demand, and the whole industry has been over egged for the past three years. I urge all egg farmers to stop increasing the supply and act sensibly."

Tony Neill, spokesperson for the Betton and Norton Action Group, added: "New facilities like the proposed free range egg laying unit at Betton/Norton-In-Hales, clearly put all other egg producers at risk. The applicant is not only trying to financially improve his own position but is also posing a real risk to the employment and success of existing producers. When your own industry body says unequivocally it shouldn't happen, then the business case is effectively dead. If you don't have a business case why on earth are you doing it?"

Ian Pick, Mr Chitty's application agent, said: "Major retailers in the UK have said that after 2025 they are not going to be stocking cage-produced eggs. The industry is working on a plan for that. Oversupply is going to be a very temporary problem."