Egg price may go up in winter

The egg price though remained stable for a couple of months it may go up during upcoming winter season because of lower production and higher consumption by the people at that time, egg traders said.

They observed that an acute shortage of egg production might have serious impact on country's protein availability. Normally, egg prices in retail market go up during winter, they pointed out.

“Demand for eggs generally goes up by 15 to 20 per cent during winter,” said Mohammad Amanat, General Secretary of Tejgaon Station Road Egg Market, the prime wholesale market in the city. The consumption of egg also increases during this season, he pointed out. Amanat said, “The prices of egg shot up in the market due to the shortage of supply against the demand, and that the prices decline only when the supply increases substantially.”

During the last couple of months, egg prices keep fluctuating between Tk 105-120 per dozen at the wholesale market. On Friday, wholesalers demand Tk 36 to Tk 38 for per four pieces of eggs.

Md. Solaiman, a wholesale egg trader said per hundred pieces of eggs are being sold at Tk. 830 to 850 at wholesale level. The traders said the demand for egg goes up during winter mainly because people consume more.

On the other hand, the production of egg declines during winter as many poultry firms face closure because of bird flu attack.

As a result, the demand and supply of egg in the market witness sharp ups and downs. Egg prices remain low in May, June, and July because of lower demand. On the other hand, egg prices go up during November, December, and January.

Shamsul Alam, proprietor of Laksham Enterprise of Tejgaon Railway Market told that some 10 to 12 lakh pieces of eggs enter this wholesale market from different parts of the country on a daily basis.

The eggs mainly come from Gazipur, Tangail, Pubna, Kushtia, Jessore and Narsingdi areas.

Around 3-5 lakh pieces of eggs are supplied to Chittagong and Sylhet from this market, Alam said.

Md. Amanathullah, president of Railway Market Shop Owner Association said government’s restrictions on import of eggs also pushes up the prices of eggs in the local markets.

According to the traders about 50,000- 60,000 poultry farms have been shut down in the country in the last couple of years following the out break of bird flu and high price of poultry food.

The ingredients of poultry feed mainly made of wheat and maize, are imported
from abroad.

The prices of those ingredients increased double in recent times, the traders said.