Egg prices boil on rising demand in wholesale market
   Date :17-Sep-2020

Egg prices boil _1 &
 
 
Business Bureau :
 
The egg prices in the city have shot up in the past 15 days due to burgeoning demand. The egg prices are being quoted at Rs 5.30 per piece as compared to 15 days ago at Rs 4 per piece in the Mahatma Phule wholesale market. In retail it is priced between Rs 6.50 and Rs 7 per piece, depending on the locality. This was disclosed by Moiz Burhani of Vidarbha Eggs while speaking to The Hitavada. He said that the awareness levels about the benefits of eating eggs has grown among the people.
 
The egg prices are rising as more people are buying eggs to boost their immunity power in the backdrop of COVID-19 virus. Doctors are also prescribing boiled eggs in the daily diet schedules of COVID-19 positive patients and people who are under quarantine to improve their immunity system. In Government medical hospitals boiled eggs are being given to COVID-19 positive patients on daily basis. “Currently, the demand for eggs has outstripped the supply. Such is the demand that our stock of eggs get empty by evening,” he said. About 8 to 10 trucks arrive daily in wholesale market.
 
The average daily consumption of eggs is 12 lakh to 13 lakh. The wholesale egg market caters to not only Nagpur district but also Chhindwara, Saoner and other towns, he informed. There has been sharp drop in supply from major egg producing states like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Because of the lockdown, hotels, restaurants and food stalls were closed and the egg demand went down significantly.
 
Therefore, in the months of April and May many egg producing farms cut back on production due to lack of demand. The egg prices at that time fell to Rs 2 per piece. It has resulted in 30 per cent short supply of eggs across the country. Currently the situation is improving and the consumption of eggs is increasing day-by-day, he said. According to sources, in next two months there could be improvement in supply of eggs which may result in prices dropping to Rs 4 per piece in the wholesale market.