Record egg price after independence

The retail price of farm egg jumped to Tk 12 per piece on Wednesday, the highest since the independence of the country.

The key protein source for commoners is now sold for Tk 144 a dozen, which was Tk 120 only three days ago, worsening the financial situation of the limited-income people already battered by the galloping prices of all other daily essentials.

The spiraling trend in prices of poultry feed, decline in production, and a sharp rise in transportation cost due to fuel price hike are the main reasons behind the surge in egg prices, said industry insiders.

In the capital’s kitchen markets on Wednesday, the largely consumed farm red egg was retailed at Tk 135-Tk 144 a dozen, farm white egg at Tk 130-137 a dozen, and branded big egg at Tk 180-Tk 240 per dozen. Only three days ago, the retail price of farm red egg was Tk 120 per dozen while branded big egg was Tk 170-Tk 220 per dozen.

Egg prices have increased by 33 per cent compared to same period of the last year, according to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).

Wholesale price of farm egg (red) also hit a record high at Tk 10.20-Tk 10.30 per piece on Wednesday in Tezgong wholesale market. Three days ago, the maximum wholesale price of each egg was Tk 9.30.

The price spiraling trend will persist for next few months, According to the Bangladesh Egg Producers’ Association.

Manjur Hossain, a wholesale egg trader of Tejgaon and also owner of Munshiganj Traders, said, “The price of eggs has a record high since the independence.

Prices are increasing due to increase in fuel oil prices and reduced supply of eggs.

Apart from this, the eggs reach the wholesale market from the farms where the price has also increased a bit.’

Mohiuddin Ahmed, general secretary of Bangladesh Egg Producers’ Association said, “Many egg producers of the association, including me, have closed down their farms, failing to maintain the balance between the production cost and the market price of eggs.”

“The price of poultry feed has increased so much that we have to count losses constantly. As many small farms have closed down, the supply of eggs is low.

“If the demand in the market increases a little, the price increases drastically,” he explained.

Meanwhile, the price of chicken is also increasing in the kitchen markets as broiler chicken prices increased by Tk 20 per kg in the last three days, jumping to Tk 180 on Wednesday in the retail market.