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There are fears the price of a dozen eggs could climb as high as $15, with the government set to consider expediting the phasing out of caged eggs.
Australia's agriculture ministers will meet on Thursday to discuss bringing forward the caged eggs ban date forward by 10 years to 2036.
Concerned egg farmers are expecting the ministers will support a new version of the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Poultry, which recommends bringing the phase out forward from 2046.
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New Zealand's expedited ban on caged eggs has contributed to the price of a carton of eggs reaching up to $12.50.
Egg farm owner and managing director of LPC Poultry in Young in NSW Brett Langfield has told Today farmers are worried the new date could negatively impact consumers and farmers.
"We're concerned if we get rushed into this process, the consumers will be hurt the most," he said.
"We've got farmers out there that still have loans, they're paying off the infrastructure. They'll basically left high and dry by the government.
"We are happy for a 20-year phase out of cages to 2046…. organised transition will limit the disruption or the concerns that the consumer may have with increased egg prices."
Langfield said farmers would need financial help to transition to phasing out caged eggs 10 years early.
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"Investment needs to occur in our industry over the next 10 years if we were to make that work.
"Three times more labour is required in a cage-free operation than a caged operation."
Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie has also told Today a decision to bring the date forward would "drive up the cost not only of eggs, but food through the supply chair because we use eggs in so many everyday goods".
"We eat 17 million of them every single day," she said.
"And 40 per cent of the eggs that are sold at every supermarket every day actually are caged eggs because they are an affordable option for so many families. To see them rise like we're seeing when similar decisions made in other countries will just put the cost of delivering healthy food on the table every night so much harder."
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