Sudden change in weather due to the early onset of northeast monsoon and cut in egg production in Namakkal in Tamil Nadu has sent the egg prices soaring across the country, according to National Egg Coordination Committee (NECC). Torrential rains that lashed several parts of the country last month led to sudden change in weather since the penultimate week of October.

Prevailing cold wave in northern parts of the country has increased the egg consumption pushing up the egg prices, NECCs zonal chairman Dr P Selvaraj told FE.

Mr Selvaraj said that the egg production in Namakkal zone was affected due to recent rains leading to an increase in prices.

More than 1.5 crore eggs produced in Namakkal zone are supplied across India every day. NECC has fixed procurement prices at Namakkal farms at Rs 1.20 per egg in the last week of October. The price shot up to Rs 1.35 per egg during the past week and has further jumped up to Rs 1.40 per egg this week Eventually, the price increase in Namakkal zone impacted egg prices across the country. Currently, egg prices in Delhi are fixed at Rs 1.70 per egg, Mumbai Rs 1.55, and Hyderabad Rs 1.43, Mr Selvaraj added.

He said that Japan has given clearance to India to export chicken meat and egg powder. The move would increase demand for egg products in the domestic market.

He said that the egg prices are further expected to go up in the coming months.

On an average, Namakkal zone in Tamil Nadi exported 66.7 million eggs per month (based on first nine months shipments in the current year), registering 25% jump year-on-year.