French farmers smash eggs in fury at costs Published duration 8 August 2013

image caption French farmers are demanding a higher price for their eggs

French poultry farmers have smashed 100,000 eggs outside a tax office in Brittany in a protest over low prices.

The farmers in north-western France threatened to continue smashing 100,000 eggs daily. They say that equates to 5% of Brittany's daily egg production.

They want France's total egg production to be cut by 5% to help raise prices.

The farmers' costs have risen partly because EU animal welfare rules require bigger cages for hens. The protest took place in Carhaix-Plouguer.

An EU directive that took effect on 1 January 2012 requires that all laying hens must be kept in "enriched cages" with extra space to nest, scratch and roost.