Price of eggs increases from Rs 195 to Rs 225 per crate
Kolkata: Price of eggs per crate has increased from Rs 195 to Rs 225. A member of the task force cited decrease in supply from states like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana as root cause for the hike.
Every year, in winter, particularly days before Christmas, the cost of eggs increases. The demand for eggs has been estimated at more than 2.5 crore per day and according to a source the state is yet to reach a position where it can cater to this huge need.
“The state is putting in efforts to increase the production of eggs within the state to ensure less dependency on others but it will take some time,” a source said.
The state Animal Resources Development (ARD) department is coming up with five mega commercial layer farms, each with a capacity to keep three lakh birds at Mekhliganj in Cooch Behar, English Bazar in Malda, Purulia, Salboni in West Midnapore and Haringhata in Nadia. It has been estimated that by March 2024 they will be contributing 46 crore eggs annually.
During 2020-21, the state was importing about 400 crore eggs annually. In 2023, there has been an appreciable rise in poultry egg production and the egg import has fallen from 400 crore eggs per annum to 65 crore per annum within 2 years.
Meanwhile, despite winter, the cost of vegetables remained on a higher side. According to Rabindranath Koley, a state task force member, the prices seemed to have reduced recently. The price of cauliflower per piece had increased to Rs 30 but according to Koley, the cost has come down to Rs 15. Another vegetable which made the buyers feel the pinch was brinjal. The cost of a kilogram of brinjal had risen to Rs 60 but according to Koley has recently come down to Rs 30.
He blamed the three days of sudden rainfall for the destruction of crops and increase in cost. However, he assured that the task force will hold a meeting over the recent rise in vegetable as well as eggs cost. On the cost of onions remaining on a higher side of Rs 60 per kilogram, he said that the new onions from Nashik will soon enter the market and result in a price drop.
