The price of eggs in the domestic wholesale market has decreased slightly due to the government’s recent decision to facilitate import of this kitchen essential.
Rates in different wholesale markets in the capital show a Tk15 – Tk 20 decrease in prices per 100 eggs. The retail market prices however do not reflect any such change.
Traders in Dhaka’s Moghbazar and Malibagh markets on Tuesday said they bought 100 brown eggs wholesale at Tk 1,125 to Tk 1,130, which was Tk 1,140 to Tk 1,145 on Monday. The price of 100 white eggs is around Tk 1,105.
Brown eggs are being sold at Tk 144 per dozen in some shops, but most retail shops are still selling the kitchen essential at Tk 150 or so per dozen. White eggs are being sold by retailers at a slightly lower price of Tk 144 to Tk 145 per dozen.
Nur Mohammad, an egg trader in the capital's Segunbagicha market, said, “The wholesale price of eggs has decreased by Tk 15 since Monday. We are also trying to sell eggs at the price set by the government, so we are not making much of a profit.
“If wholesale egg prices go down a bit more, we will be able to make a profit even if we sell at Tk 12 per piece,” said Shamsuddin, an egg seller in Moghbazar.
An in-person visit to a number of retail shops shows that retailers are selling eggs at Tk 48 per hali (4 pieces), but in most places, farm chicken brown eggs are being sold at Tk 50 or more per hali.
Egg prices have been increasing for two years. Last year, the price of eggs rose to Tk 60 per hali. According to the government agency Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), in January 2021, the price of one hali egg in the market was Tk 28 to Tk 30.
In view of the egg crisis and high prices in the country's market, six importer companies recently applied to the Ministry of Commerce for permission to import 51 crore eggs in November last year, but did not receive permission.
Under recent circumstances, the Ministry of Commerce has allowed four companies to import four crore eggs. Apart from the import permit, the maximum price of an egg in retail shops has been fixed at Tk 12.
