Traders respond to increased demand for eggs with price hike

Chitwan, August 24 - The demand for eggs has increased since the beginning of the month of Bhadau in the Lunar Calendar. As many people especially Hindus resort to fasting and vegetarian diet during the holy month of Shrawan, egg consumption goes down during the month. 

  The demand for eggs increased with the onset of Bhadau and following the increase in demand poultry farms have increased the price of eggs, said executive director of Daunne Agro Farm Limited, Binod Pokharel. The farms have been setting the prices themselves after the Department of Commercial Supply and Consumer Protection instructed that only the producers should set the price.

As a result, the market price of eggs has been increased from today. Daunne Agro based in Chitwan has set the price as Rs 500 per crate (of 30 eggs). The price of large egg is Rs 495 and medium egg is Rs 425 per crate.

 Likewise, the Himchuli Poultry Farm has also increased the price of eggs. The price of excel eggs has been increased by Rs. 5 per crate and that of large and medium eggs by Rs. 10, said Chair of the Farm, Rajendra Lamichhane.

 The egg producing farmers are engaged in marketing their products by forming the Nepal Layers Poultry Association. Pokharel, who is also the president of the association, mentioned that 75 percent of the poultry farmers have been displaced due to continuous loss in business. 

 Meanwhile, Poultry trader Trilochan Kandel, the former president of Chitwan Industry Association, said that the demand for eggs has increased but the production has decreased. He shared that about two months ago, 2.5 to 2.6 million eggs were being produced daily but it has decreased to 2.3 to 2.4 million.