The egg prices have fallen from their recent highs as consumer demand falls significantly with the onset of the holy month of Shravan. The egg prices which were ruling at a high Rs 7.50 per piece in the wholesale market 15 days ago have crashed by Rs 2 per piece. “The eggs are being quoted at Rs 5.50 per piece in the wholesale market as demand has declined by more than 40 per cent, said a leading egg wholesaler in the Mahatma Phule Wholesale Market while speaking to The Hitavada. During the holy month of Shravan a large number of people observe fast on certain days of the week and abstain from consuming eggs and certain other foods according to the customs and traditions.

 

This has a cascading impact on demand as sales witnessed a drop of 30 per cent to 50 per cent pushing prices lower in the market. At present, in retail, the eggs are available at Rs 7 per piece to Rs 7.50 per piece, depending on the locality. The supply of eggs to Nagpur mostly comes from the poultry farms located in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. On a daily basis an average 10 to 12 trucks loaded with eggs come to the Mahatma Phule Wholesale Market to meet the local consumption, but now with diminishing demand the number of trucks have dropped to 5-6 trucks, said another trader in the egg business on the condition of anonymity. In Nagpur city, the peak demand during the winter months is about 14 to 15 lakh eggs per day. But, now the demand has fallen drastically to about 6 to 7 lakh eggs per day. The wholesale egg market situated at Mahatma Phule Market also popularly known as Cotton Market caters to the demand of the city and also smaller adjoining towns like Kamptee, Kanhan and other places in Vidarbha region. Traders also said that the prices could sink to Rs 5 per piece in the wholesale market as the Shravan celebrations start from August 13 in Maharashtra. Shravan celebrations have already started in several parts of the country, resulting in sluggish consumer demand. Most traders are of the view that the demand for eggs would gradually bounce back when the Sharavan celebration ends.