Home ›› 14 Oct 2022 ›› Front
Just a year ago, one egg was being sold for Tk 8.75, affordable enough that it was called the cheapest source of protein. However, the scenario has changed drastically over the months due to price hikes.
Various reasons including the increase in poultry feed price, fall in egg production, and alleged syndication of big companies, have caused a 34 per cent increase in the price of eggs. In essence, if the price of eggs were Tk 100 in the previous year, it would be Tk 137 now.
The considerable price hike has brought down egg consumption among low and middle-income families. It would consequently put them at risk of protein deficiency, nutritionists warn, which will greatly affect the overall nutrition situation of the country.
Present market situation
According to Bangladesh Poultry Khamar Rokkha Jatiya Parishad (Bangladesh Poultry Farm Protection National Council) data, On October 13, 2021, the farms around Dhaka sold each brown egg from Tk 7.80. But on October 13, 2022, the same egg was being sold for Tk 10.50, which is almost a 35 per cent hike.
Similarly, each white egg was being sold for Tk 7.40 a year ago, which was Tk 10.30 on Thursday.
On the other hand, Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) data says that the price of eggs in retail has gone up by 32 per cent within a year. Last year, each egg was sold for Tk 8.75-9.25, which is now Tk 11.25-12.50.
Risk of protein deficiency
Talking to The Business Post, Bangladesh National Nutrition Council Deputy Director Dr Nusrat Jahan said one egg contains around six grams of protein. Daily protein requirement for humans is 0.8 g/kg of body weight. Therefore, after 6 months of age, if one egg is included in the children’s daily diet, the chances of malnutrition are greatly reduced. If one egg is included in the daily diet of adults, it can meet part of the protein requirement.
“In general, eggs are one of the most readily available proteins for the people of Bangladesh. If it does not remain readily available, a large section of the population will face protein deficiency, which will have a huge impact on the country’s overall nutrition situation,” she added.
Consumer Demand Dwindling
Low and middle-income people are cutting down on their egg consumption due to the price hike, and the effect is evident in the retail market.
This correspondent spoke to a consumer named Aminul Islam at the capital’s Segunbagicha kitchen market on Thursday, who reiterated a similar situation.
“I used to buy four eggs daily for my family of four, which includes two school-going boys. However, egg consumption has become irregular in the family since the increase in prices,” he said.
“Sometimes no one in the family gets to eat eggs, Sometimes I buy them only for the boys.”
Noor Alam, an egg trader in the kitchen market, spoke to this correspondent about the plummeting demand for eggs.
“Previously, I used to buy one car (6,500 pieces) of eggs and would be able to sell them off within days. But now, selling off the same quantity of eggs is not possible even after three days. So now, I buy eggs in lower quantities,” he says.
Production Sinks
Bangladesh Poultry Khamar Rokkha Jatiya Parishad General Secretary Khandkar Md Mohsin told this correspondent that due to the increase in the price of poultry feed, the production cost of each egg has increased to about Tk 11.
“Marginal farms are now selling eggs for prices below the cost of production. Due to facing losses continuously, many small farms have closed already, lowering egg production across the country,” he said.
While a lot of farms are still holding on, their egg production has gone down by half.
In the last 6-8 months, the daily production of eggs in the country has decreased by more than 27 lakh pieces. If this continues, there will be a more acute shortage of eggs in the market and the price will increase further.
World Egg Day
World Egg Day is being celebrated today in Bangladesh as well as across the world with the motto “Eggs for a better life”.
Egg Day is being celebrated in Bangladesh under the joint initiative of the Department of Livestock Services (DLS), Bangladesh Poultry Industries Central Council (BPICC), World’s Poultry Science Association Bangladesh Branch (WPSA-BB), according to a BPICC press release.
Several programs have been planned on this occasion, including starting a rally from Manik Mia Avenue in the capital in the morning, a discussion meeting at Krishibid Institution at 10:30am, day-long seminars and discussions on the nutritional value of eggs at various universities and district level, distribution of eggs to various educational institutes, orphanages and old age homes, and more.
In 1996, at the conference of the International Egg Commission in Vienna, the capital of Austria, it was decided to celebrate World Egg Day on the second Friday in October each year.
The objective is to inform people about the food quality and nutritional value of eggs and encourage healthy egg production, marketing and inclusion of eggs in the daily diet of consumers. More than 40 countries of the world celebrate this day.
