The government is being accused of hypocrisy with regard to animal welfare standards by the British Industry Egg Council

Domestic producers fear a Brexit free-trade deal could open the floodgates to cheap and risky imports from Ukraine, India, Argentina and the US where battery hens can produce eggs nearly 30pc cheaper than UK farmers following EU animal welfare directives.

Mark Williams, the chief executive of the British Egg Industry Council which represents a UK industry worth £1bn a year, has warned that the Government’s position would “undercut our farmers, and undermine the confidence of consumers.”

Eggs – unlike some other agricultural products like lamb and beef – were left completely unprotected by tarriffs when the government published its updated temporary “no deal” tariff schedules last month, despite intense lobbying from the BEIC.

Mr Williams accused the government of being “hypocritical” in promising both to uphold the highest animal welfare standards after Brexit while “leaving open the back door” to cheap imports that would “massively undermine” the industry.

“The Government has said it made its decision on the assumption that eggs and egg product imports from countries with a lower offer price will lead to cheaper food in the UK,” he added.