After a shortage of eggs, now duck meat is low in supply in Taiwan as well. Duck breeders say colder weather caused by climate change has had an effect on the hatching of duck eggs.
This roasted duck is fresh out of the oven. It’s ready to be served the Peking duck style, which is duck meat sliced up and served in a wrap with scallion and a sweet sauce. But it’s likely that fewer people will be enjoying this dish soon, after the price of duck meat rose in recent months.
One restaurant in Changhua says it has no choice but to adjust its prices, from NT$800 for one whole roasted duck to NT$900. Meanwhile, a chef at a Hong Kong style restaurant says they raised their price by 25 percent last year and it is likely to go up even more this year.
This restaurant serves duck soup in broth made with Angelica, a kind of Chinese herb. The owner says that he will be raising the price of their signature dish by 10 percent.
Shops that sell packaged smoked duck meat are affected too. The price of their product has gone up by 10 to 20%.
Duck breeders said that since September last year, colder weather caused by climate change has affected the hatching of duck eggs. To make matters worse, the COVID pandemic has prompted more people to order frozen duck online rather than buy fresh meat, thereby hiking up the price.
With no rise in supply expected till the fall, fans of Peking duck should prepare for a pricey few months.