As essential commodities continue to skyrocket, the escalating price of eggs has placed an additional burden on the average citizen.
Despite government efforts to regulate the selling price at various levels, the price of eggs has remained beyond control. Even today, wholesale egg markets report inflated prices.
On 16 October, a visit to the wholesale market in Tejgaon, Dhaka, revealed the continued rise in prices.
Poultry eggs were being sold at rates between Tk1,210 and Tk1,230 per hundred eggs. This translates to a per-egg price ranging from Tk12.10 to Tk12.30.
on 15 October, the Director General of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection, Mohammad Alim Akhtar Khan, held a meeting with egg producers and suppliers. Following the discussion, the government set prices at Tk10.91 per egg for producers, Tk11.01 for wholesalers, and Tk11.87 for retailers, effective from 16 October.
However, there was no sign of these price caps being followed in the wholesale market. Eggs were being sold at Tk12.10 to Tk12.30 per piece, instead of the government-mandated wholesale rate of Tk11.01.
Mohammad Kamal, a seller at Shafiq Traders, said, "The price of eggs has decreased since yesterday. We sold eggs for over Tk1,400 per hundred yesterday, but today it has dropped by Tk200 in just one day."
An unnamed seller from Al-Amin Traders added, "The price has dropped by Tk200 per hundred eggs in one day, but how much lower can it go? If prices continue to drop like this, neither we nor the producers will survive. There's no profit for us today."
When asked why they were selling eggs at a higher price than the government’s set rate, the seller responded, "I cannot explain that. We are selling them at the price we purchased them. If the price drops further, how will egg producers survive?"
Upon questioning how they managed their business when egg prices were historically lower, the trader refused to elaborate, stating, "I don’t want to comment further. We are in the business, and we know the challenges we are facing."
Recent floods and natural disasters have significantly reduced egg production. The national demand is between 4.5 to 5 crore eggs daily, yet only 3.5 lakh eggs are being produced. This supply shortage has directly impacted the market, pushing prices upward.
In an effort to relieve the public, the government approved the import of nearly 4 crore eggs, but only a few lakhs have been imported so far, leaving the crisis unresolved.
Previously, the government had set the price of eggs at Tk12 each, but even after a month, this directive was not enforced. In some instances, traders responded to the government's crackdown by halting egg sales altogether.
