Orkney was once renowned for its egg production. Even during World War 2 when everywhere eggs were rationed and folk had to rely on the powdered variety, you could still get a fried egg roll in Orkney, much to the delight of many of the service personnel stationed in the islands.

A hundred years ago, The Orkney Herald (6 May 1925) reports on the successful marketing of the Orkney egg.

Periodically, the advantages of marketing the Orkney egg through co-operative societies crop up. It is stated, and in no less a place than the House of Commons, that this is entirely due to the system of buying and selling on co-operative lines. In the year 1871, 717,060 dozen eggs were exported, and in 1910 the output had been increased to 1,894,360 dozen, which, valued at 9d per dozen, equals £70,000.

It would appear that egg production in Orkney reached its highest level in 1923, when 2,155,200 dozen were exported, which valued at 1/6 per dozen gives a total of £161,640 . Last year however the output dropped to 1,957, 440 or 64,040 more than in 1910, and giving a value at 1/6 per dozen of £146,808.

Fiona Grahame

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