UPDATE 1-S.Korea egg import subsidies criticized as insufficient, late

SEOUL, Jan 6 South Korean egg importers on Friday criticised the government’s plans to subsidise the cost of fresh egg imports to alleviate a shortage caused by the country’s worst-ever bird flu outbreak as insufficient and too late to meet upcoming holiday demand. South Korea will spend 900 million won to support shipment costs for eggs imported by air and ship through the end of February, the agriculture ministry said in a statement on Friday.