The Minister of Commerce, Khandakar Abdul Muktadir, urged egg traders to avoid excessive profit-making practices, artificial shortages, and market destabilization through disruptions in the supply chain of eggs. During a meeting at the commerce ministry in Dhaka to assess egg production and supply, the minister emphasized the importance of all parties in the supply chain acting responsibly to safeguard consumer interests.
Muktadir highlighted the significance of eggs as a staple food item for the country’s population and expressed concerns about the financial strain on low- and middle-income individuals caused by soaring egg prices. He stressed the necessity of preventing situations where consumers face unreasonably high prices for eggs.
The minister underscored the importance of analyzing the price disparity between producers and consumers to identify any excessive costs or profits introduced at different stages of the supply chain. The commerce ministry stated that enhancing transparency and efficiency in the market system requires collaborative efforts among producers, wholesalers, commission agents, and retailers.
During the meeting, business representatives revealed that the production cost per egg has increased to about Tk 11 due to recent price hikes in poultry-feed ingredients such as corn and soybean. They disclosed that the average selling price per egg at the producer level escalated from Tk 7.91 in January to approximately Tk 11.30 in September this year. Although eggs are often sold below production costs for a notable period annually, it is the periods of price surges that draw the most attention.
Typically, there is an additional value of Tk 1.50 to Tk 2 from the producer level to the retail market through various intermediary stages. To mitigate seasonal price fluctuations, the business representatives suggested establishing an efficient egg storage system for one to one and a half months during surplus production periods. They also advocated for streamlining turnover tax and income tax burdens, regulating poultry-feed ingredient prices, and easing transportation obstacles.