Staff Correspondent

Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter has hoped that the egg price will come under control soon as the government is working to keep its price at affordable level.

"The government is working to bring egg price at reasonable level...regular market monitoring is going on ...egg price has declined at the wholesale level and we are expecting that its price will come under control soon", she said.

The adviser came up with the remarks while addressing a function at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) at Farmgate here marking the World Egg Day-2024 on Friday.

The Department of Livestock Services (DLS), Bangladesh Poultry Industries Central Council, World's Poultry Science Association Bangladesh Branch (WPSA-BB) and Bangladesh chapter of World's Poultry Science Association, jointly organized the function.

Farida also stressed the need for declaring the egg as an essential food item, saying: "Rural women should be encouraged in running poultry farm to increase egg production".

She said poultry farming could empower them economically as well.

The rural homestead poultry rearing system should be brought back and all necessary steps will have to be taken in this regard, she added.

The price of egg usually hikes during the Bengali months of Ashwin-Kartik when the supply of vegetables decline significantly in the country and the demand for egg ultimately increases sharply.

The adviser said, "Direct streamlining of egg supply chain between the consumers and the producers is under consideration".

She also underlined preserving of eggs in cold storages as its demand declines, saying: Then, we can utilise the eggs during its sharp demand".

But, she noted that hording of eggs will not be allowed in the name of preservation at all.

Farida said the recent floods have damaged huge poultry farms across the country and it ultimately has affected the overall production and supply of eggs.

Bangladesh Agriculture University (BAU)’s Poultry Science Department Prof Dr Mohammad Shawkat Ali presented the keynote paper at the function.

Fisheries and Livestock Secretary Sayeed Mahmud Belal Haider and WAPSA-BB President Mashiur Rahman spoke at the function as the special guests while Director General of the DLS Dr Mohammad Reazul Huq chaired it.