At the retail level, it is reasonable if each egg is sold at Tk 12 but if someone hikes the price abnormally, the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) will take action, Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim has said.
The minister made the remarks after a meeting with the businessmen of the poultry sector at the secretariat in Dhaka on Sunday.
About Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi’s suggestion of reducing the price by importing, Rezaul said that it was a matter of the Commerce Ministry. “However, there would not be any need to import eggs if the eggs produced domestically are supplied in line with a proper arrangement.”
He said a Department of Livestock Services survey found that the production cost was Tk 10.50-11. “So, it is logical to sell at up to Tk 12 in the retail market. But if it is more than that, DNCRP will take action under the Consumer Rights Protection Act.”
Meanwhile, according to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) data, four pieces of eggs were sold at Tk 55-60 in Dhaka’s retail markets on Sunday.
That means each egg cost Tk 15 and it is Tk 3 more than the reasonable price mentioned by Minister Rezaul.
According to TCB data, egg prices have increased by 20 per cent in a month. Customers are now paying Tk 10 more for each egg than last month. In the last week, this product’s price has increased by Tk 5.
Consumers have complained that there are no strong measures to control the price of eggs. Many have said that the way prices are rising if the profit-seekers are not controlled, higher prices will leave general people severely suffering.
According to the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) and TCB, the price of eggs in the commodity market has been stable for the past few years. Egg prices have only become unstable in recent times.
Analysis of the last 10 years’ market prices showed that prices of four eggs generally fluctuate between Tk 28 and Tk 36 throughout the year. But after the Russia-Ukraine war started in February 2022, the price of eggs started to rise.
In January 2021, four eggs cost Tk 28-30 and now, it is Tk 55-60, which means the price saw a 90 per cent hike.
Even though the price has increased abnormally here in the space of a month, eggs are now being sold in the markets of neighbouring India at a lower price than in Bangladesh.
According to EggRate.info, one egg costs 4.34 to 5.10 rupees in the country's markets. (Tk 1 = 1.3213 rupees)
