Business Desk

Farm eggs, the most affordable protein source for lower-middle class people, has remained out of many low-income people’s reach as its price skyrocketed to Tk150-160 per dozen in the capital’s kitchen markets on Friday.

The price of farm eggs reached an all-time high this year, creating woes for the consumers to maintain their food habits.

The retail price of farm eggs was Tk140-150 per dozen on 10 May, Tk135-140 per dozen on 8 May and Tk120 per dozen on 3 May, said sources.

The egg price has increased by 6.52% in a week and 25.64% in a month, according to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).

“Egg traders’ syndicate based in the Tejgaon area of the capital has been fixing the price of eggs and wholesale markets across the country were following them. The traders’ syndicate has been increasing the egg price across the country,” said Sumon Hawladar, president of the Bangladesh Poultry Association (BPA).

“They also release around 1 crore of eggs per day out of the products they purchased a month earlier and stockpiled in different cold storages,” he said.

“They are accumulating around Tk3 crore per day by selling the hoarded eggs,” Hawladar added.

The syndicate increased the wholesale price per 100 pieces of farm eggs by Tk10, Tk30, Tk50, Tk50, Tk10, Tk10, Tk30, Tk40, Tk10 and Tk20 on 2,3,4,5,7,8,9,10,12 and 12 May, according to BPA.

Irin Akter, a private company employee, told the Daily Sun that, “I cannot feed fish and meat to children. Now the price of the egg is also skyrocketing. What will we consume?”

Oliullah, an egg seller in Mirpur-13, said the wholesale price of eggs has increased frequently, so they also had to increase its price.

“Death of chickens during the heat wave has created a crisis in the market, increasing the prices,” he said.

Meanwhile, the prices of broiler chicken remained the same at Tk220 per kg and Sonali chicken at Tk420 per kg this week.

On Friday, onion prices increased by Tk5 per kg and sold at Tk75 per kg. Local garlic sold at Tk220 per kg and ginger at Tk280 per kg on that day.