The mercury has started rising rapidly in most of the states of North India as well as in many other states of the country. Many cities have started facing temperatures of more than 42 in April itself. With the increasing heat, the prices of eggs are increasing in many cities of the country. The price of egg has gone up to Rs 7. After all, why are the prices of eggs increasing in summer?
Last month in March, there was a huge fall in the prices of eggs due to the West Asia crisis, but now the prices have started increasing again. Many reasons for this are emerging. The prices of eggs have started increasing not only in the North but everywhere in the South and North-Eastern states. The prices of eggs have increased again in Hyderabad and Mangaluru as well as in Assam.
Traders say that the lack of local demand is still maintaining pressure on the market. On Friday last week, the wholesale price of eggs in Mangaluru was Rs 6.20 per egg, while the retail price was Rs 7. In the second week of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East in March, egg shipments to the Gulf countries were suddenly halted, causing prices to fall to around Rs 5.40 (wholesale).
The Gulf region is an important market for eggs exported from Karnataka and other neighboring states. Egg suppliers say prices are rising now because production has declined by 20% to 30%, largely due to extreme heat. Also, exports to the Gulf and other countries, which had completely stopped due to the war, have now gradually resumed.
National Egg Coordination Committee zonal chairman and MP Satish Babu said that the market is gradually recovering from the last recession. He said that the region had suffered a lot due to the fall in prices during the West Asia crisis. Although prices are now rising, local demand still remains weak. Egg production in these areas has fallen by about 20% due to the extreme heat, while exports have now resumed at about 50% capacity.
The price of eggs is continuously increasing in Hyderabad also. In Hyderabad, retail rates have increased by Rs 3 per egg in just 2 weeks. Two weeks ago, the price of an egg here was Rs 4, but now it is being sold at Rs 7 per egg in the retail market. At wholesale level, eggs are being sold at Rs 6.30.
Poultry farmers are attributing the rise in egg prices to rising temperatures and high mortality rate among birds. A poultry farm owner in Telangana's Ranga Reddy district said, "In summer, mortality rate of birds increases in farms and production also decreases. However, the demand for eggs and poultry remains the same, and because the supply is less, the prices of eggs and birds are increased on the farms to compensate for the loss."
Another poultry farm owner says that the death rate is 30 percent higher in summer compared to other months of the year. Whereas in Hyderabad, the price of chicken meat is Rs 240 per kg, while the live bird is being sold at Rs 170 per kg. Poultry farms in Telangana are located in Ranga Reddy, Medak, Sangareddy, Vikarabad, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri, Siddipet and Mahabubnagar districts.
According to market sources in Assam, the price of a plate of eggs has increased from Rs 170 to Rs 200, which is a sharp increase of Rs 30 per tray in a few days. Similarly, the price of a carton of eggs has increased from Rs 1,150 to Rs 1,200. The latest increase in egg prices is likely to impact households and small businesses in the northeastern state. However, the exact reasons behind the increase in prices have not been announced here.
