China’s egg output will reach nearly 30 million tons this year, accounting for more than 42 percent of the world’s total, said an official with the China Association of Animal Product Processing Research last Friday.

China is the world’s top egg producer, followed by the United States, Japan, Russia and India, the official said at a press conference marking World Egg Day, which was initiated by the International Egg Commission (IEC).

World Egg Day, which falls on the second Friday of October, aims to promote the consumption of shell eggs and egg products worldwide and call global attention to the high nutritional value of eggs.

Last year, China produced 28.79 million tons of eggs, an average of 22 kg per head.

However, Lu Xiaoping, an official with the ministry, said China’s eggs were less competitive on the international market due to low quality and poor processing technique.

According to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, China’s egg exports accounted for less than one-tenth of the world’s total.