There has been another salmonella outbreak in French Polynesia, prompting the culling of 12,000 chickens.
A statement by the producer SCA Heia Tau Arii says tests showed the presence of salmonella in eggs which are banned from being sold.
The company in Taravao then proceeded to cull the chickens and to close the building where they had been farmed.
Salmonella has been found in eggs in French Polynesia Photo: 123rf
The damage is estimated to be in excess of a quarter of a million US dollars.
The company has reportedly asked the government whether it can import eggs from New Zealand to offset a possible shortage.
The latest salmonella outbreak follows one last year when 16,000 chickens were killed in a bid to get rid of the bacteria.
Five years ago, more than a dozen people were taken to hospital because of a salmonella outbreak on Tahiti.
