Eggs – pretty tough to beat when it comes to covering daily nutritional requirements – have traditionally been an affordable source of quality protein for the Bangladeshi people. But this is no longer the reality for many consumers.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends eating at least 3 eggs per week, while the American Heart Association prescribes weekly consumption of seven eggs. But according to government data for FY23, availability of eggs per person hovered around 2.58 per week.
This is a decline from 2.61 posted on FY22. Egg producers and suppliers warned that the figure will continue to slip in the ongoing FY24. Amid the backdrop, Bangladesh is marking World Egg Day on Friday, with the theme “Egg for a Healthy Future.”
According to government officials, Bangladesh marks World Egg Day every year through a joint collaboration among the Department of Livestock Services, Bangladesh Poultry Industries Central Council, and World Poultry Science Association (WPSA).
High egg production costs have caused the item’s prices to skyrocket in the country, which in turn has reduced the purchasing power of consumers. Moreover, egg production and farming activities have witnessed a steady decline over the years, severely affecting the item’s supply.
Criticising the move to import eggs, industry insiders claim volatility in the local egg market is now the worst in the 33 years. Bangladesh had not imported eggs since 1991. Eggs are now being imported, but the item’s price is still out of reach for the lion’s share of consumers.
They added that importing eggs might provide a temporary solution, but the move will put egg farms at risk in the long run. The decision to import eggs might also push Bangladesh permanently into import dependency.
Such a dependency would prevent the country from achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs), and send the local egg industry into the brink of collapse.
Speaking to The Business Post, Bangladesh Poultry Industries Association Secretary General Khandakar Mohsin said, “I have been involved with chicken and egg production for four decades, and I have never seen such volatility before.
“The situation started to worsen since Covid-19 struck Bangladesh. Our survey findings show nearly 59,000 local farms are no longer in production, which is 39 per cent of the total figure. Besides, many have reduced their production due after facing cases and other harassment.”
He continued, “Bangladesh used to import eggs before 1991. Since then, we steadily moved towards exports. Now, we are importing eggs again. We had told the government on multiple occasions to resolve ongoing issues through discussions with the producers.
“But the government is yet to do this. As a result, the egg prices have increased unnaturally. We would be able to return to exporting eggs when the farms that have closed their doors return to production again.”
The government has a target of supplying 3.17 eggs weekly or 165 eggs annually per person as part of covering the people’s nutritional needs. This initiative falls into the country’s efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals – 2030.
Meanwhile, under the Second Perspective Plan (2021-41), the government plans to supply 4 eggs weekly or 208 eggs annually per person in a bid to build a Bangladesh free from hunger and poverty.
To achieve this hefty target, Bangladesh will have to take annual production of eggs to 3,293.4 crore by 2031, and 4,648.8 crore by 2041. Government data shows that the country’s yearly egg production now stands at 2,337.63 crore.
Insiders say the industry is facing headwinds. Besides, the Bangladesh Poultry Industries Central Council, and nearly 15 other large producers of eggs are now busy with resolving the cases filed against them by the Bangladesh Competition Commission.
How did egg prices skyrocket?
Consumer Association of Bangladesh (CAB) data show that four eggs – called a hali in Bangladesh – were selling for Tk 6.35 a piece in 2010.
The price declined to Tk 6.20 a piece a year later. However, egg prices then steadily increased year after year, hitting Tk 8.75 a piece in 2019. An egg was being sold for as high as Tk 15 during the Covid-19 crisis.
An analysis of the egg supply chain reveals that the producers sell this food item to a certain type of suppliers or dealers, stockpilers then buy eggs from them. Wholesalers buy eggs from stockpilers, and retailers buy the item from wholesalers.
As eggs reach the average consumer after changing hands four times, prices increase in phase phases.
Egg production on the decline
Egg production has dropped by 14 per cent in a year, shows a recent survey. Producers say many local layer farms have shut their business for good due an increase in poultry feed prices.
Daily egg production in the country was 4.24 crore in January of 2022, which dropped to 3.98 crore in December the same year. Egg production per day dropped to 3.7 crore in August this year.
However, according to livestock ministry data, Bangladesh produced 2,337.63 crore eggs in FY23, which puts the daily production rate at 6.40 crore. So, during that period, per person egg consumption in the country was 134.58 per year, or 2.58 per week.
Bangladesh produced 607.85 crore eggs in FY11, which then rose to 1,181.24 crore in FY16. At that time, per person egg consumption stood at 75 per year, or 1.44 per week.
Market now import dependent
Though the government data shows a daily egg production of 6.4 crore, Bangladesh has opened imports of this food item after prices kept rising unnaturally. The government has set the price of per egg at Tk 12, and ten companies have been granted permission to import ten crore eggs.
Commenting on the matter, Bangladesh Poultry Association (BPA) Sumon Howlader said, “The price of eggs can temporarily be reduced through imports, but the egg market will become volatile in the coming days.
“Many marginal farmers are planning to turn their backs on egg production following the decision to import this food item.”
A key part of diet
Eggs are loaded with nutrients, some of which are rare in the modern diet. They are among the most nutritious foods on the planet. A single boiled egg contains decent amounts of vitamin A, vitamin B, phosphorus, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin B6, calcium and zinc.
Eating eggs is also a great way to increase HDL, which stands for high-density lipoprotein. It is often known as the “good” cholesterol. People who have higher levels of HDL usually have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke and other health problems.
In one study, eating 1-3 eggs daily for four weeks increased HDL levels by 6 per cent to 13 per cent in young, healthy adults.
