COIMBATORE: After a lull, the farm gate price of eggs has reached an all time high of Rs 5.80 per piece and is being sold up to Rs 7 in the retail market.

An increase in demand in view of Christmas and New Year has sent egg prices through the roof. From a procurement price of Rs 4.75 paise per egg on December 4, its prices increased gradually to touch a record high on Monday.

After facing heavy loss and shutting down of several poultry units, the 1,100 odd poultry farms in Namakkal have got some relief with the National Egg Coordination Committee (NECC) raising the procurement price by five paise to Rs 5.80 per piece.

Though relieved at the increasing prices of eggs, the poultry farmers claim that they could get a reasonable profit only if egg procurement prices are fixed at Rs 6 per piece due to raising cost of production because of high fodder cost and labour.

The poultry farmers anticipate that production costs may go up further in the coming days. Still, poultry farmers claim that the price of eggs in Namakkal is lower than states like Hyderabad, where its farm gate price hovers around Rs 5.90 paise per egg.