After a dip, egg prices have increased marginally
A dip in demand for eggs led to crash in prices in other hubs like Hyderabad, whose impact has been felt in the Namakkal zone too.;
Eggs ready for the market
COIMBATORE: After a sudden crash in egg prices following a drastic dip in demand from north Indian states, the prices have improved marginally over the last few days.
“It’s usual for demand for eggs to come down at this time of the year owing to the holy month of ‘Shrawan’ being observed in north Indian states, when people abstain from consuming eggs and non-vegetarian food items. Requirement for eggs usually peaks up to 30 lakh eggs daily from Namakkal with the onset of winter in the north Indian states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Assam,” say poultry farmers.
A dip in demand for eggs led to crash in prices in other hubs like Hyderabad, whose impact has been felt in the Namakkal zone too.
“The farm gate price of eggs in Hyderabad is as low as Rs 3.80 as against Rs 4.25 paise in Namakkal. If prices weren’t brought down here, then our domestic market would get flooded with eggs from Hyderabad,” said ‘Vangili’ Subramaniam, president of Tamil Nadu Egg Poultry Farmers Marketing Society.
Poultry farmers hope that prices may stabilise in another three weeks. Last year, the prices were even less at Rs 3.80.
Because of consistent demand from our neighbouring state of Kerala, where over 1.5 crore eggs are sent daily, the prices of eggs haven’t gone down further in Tamil Nadu.
However, poultry farmers lamented an increase in the price of feed like soya, which rose by Rs 5 per kg in the last week and Rs 3 per kg for maize.
“Poultries in Tamil Nadu have to source the feed from states like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, which adds up to production cost,” he added.
Besides these factors, the poultry fear that if production is increased by one crore per day in the coming months, prices may crash further, and survival would get tough. “The farm gate price of eggs crashed from Rs 5.80 per egg in July to Rs 4.25 now. It was Rs 4.20 a few days ago,” said C Panneerselvam, president of Egg Exporters Association.
ALL IN A SHELL
· Egg exports doubled this year
· After one crore eggs, another consignment of 20 lakh eggs has been sent to the US
· Demand dips in north Indian states owing to the ‘Shrawan’ month
· Farm gate price of eggs in Hyderabad is low at Rs 3.80 paise and it is Rs 4.45 in Namakkal
· Poultry feed purchased from Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar has increased price