Middle-East countries have not lifted the ban imposed on Indian eggs yet. The prevailing ban has dragged down the Indian egg exports in the past nine months. Despite this, egg prices in India have been surging at alarming levels on higher local consumption and an increase in the demand-supply gap, trade sources said. The sudden demand was also attributed to the current cold weather due to continous rain in the country, particularly in southern India.
According to the latest price revision by the National Egg Coordination Committee (NECC), the current farm gate price of eggs increased to Rs 2.03 per egg in the Namakal zone. The highest price was fixed for Delhi (national capital region) at Rs 2.19 per egg followed by Mumbai at Rs 218. Surprisingly in West Bengal, where the bird-flu hit this year, the wholesale egg prices are ruling at an high of Rs 2.16 per egg. Eggs cost Rs 2.01 per egg in Mysore, Rs 2.13 per egg in Chennai, Rs 2.06 per egg in Chittur and Rs 1.96 per egg in Hyderabad.
?Poultry farmers have reduced egg production by not replacing layer birds after the Middle-East countries banned importing Indian eggs following the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) putting India on the list of bird flu- affected countries in January after the bird flu outbreak in West Bengal, said Nallathambi, president, Tamil Nadu Poultry Farmers Association (TNPFA).
Generally old layer birds, which lay eggs for around 72 weeks, are replaced by new birds. But poultry farms failed to replace layer chicks after export orders declined since the beginning of 2008.