Prices of essentials have been rising steeply across the country for several days because of the fuel price rise, and egg prices are jumping too. Brown farm eggs that sold at Tk 36-38 a hali (four) a week ago now sell at Tk 50.

This has angered consumers, who say egg prices are climbing because of a syndicate even though chicken feed prices have not risen.

Egg prices were running hot at Cumilla city's New Market, Rajganj, Rani Bazar and Badsha Miar Bazar on Tuesday, 16 August.

A dozen brown farm eggs is selling at Tk 150, up Tk 40 to 50. A dozen deshi chicken eggs costs Tk 210 and duck eggs Tk 180 a dozen. Quail eggs sell at Tk 14 to 18 a hali. Broiler chicken sells at Tk 200 a kg and cock chicken at Tk 280 to 300.

Sellers claim that eggs have suddenly become scarce against demand, while vehicle fares, higher chicken feed prices and load-shedding have also pushed up egg prices.

But inquiries found that broiler and layer feed prices have not been raised in the past month and feed is selling at the old price. Depending on the company, a 50 kg sack of broiler starter sells at Tk 3,150 to Tk 3,300, and broiler grower at the same price. Cock starter sells at Tk 2,900 to Tk 3,050, and layer one and two at Tk 2,700 to Tk 2,850.

Monir Hossain, a feed seller at Jahanara Store in Chawkbazar, told Jago News that feed prices had not risen in the past two or three months either. "We are still selling chicken feed at the old price. Whether it will rise in future, only the company can say," he said.

Md Jamal Uddin, a dealer for Rupashi Fish Feed Limited in Chawkbazar and owner of Al Amin Store, said they were still selling chicken feed at the same price as a month ago, Tk 2,700 for a 50 kg sack.

Rubel Mia, who came to Chawkbazar to buy eggs, told Jago News that egg prices had suddenly gone up even though feed prices had not. "I cannot understand why they have been raised. I request those who monitor the market to look into it seriously. Otherwise low-income people like us will not be able to buy eggs," he said.

Researcher and cultural figure Ahsanul Kabir, buying eggs at Rajganj market, told Jago News that prices of essentials and everything in the market were rising because of an illegal syndicate, and the egg market was no different. "Tk 50-60 for a hali of eggs is in no way acceptable. People are finding it hard just to survive with prices like this. Ordinary people must unite to break this syndicate and the government must take steps," he said.

Asked about the reason for the rise, Babul Mia, general secretary of the Cumilla district and metropolitan egg traders' association, told Jago News that farm running costs had risen, including feed prices, load-shedding and higher prices. As a result many farms have closed, cutting production while demand has grown. Cumilla's daily demand for eggs is over 2 lakh, but only 70,000 are produced. With supply suddenly down, eggs have to be brought in from other districts to meet demand, and the extra cost has raised prices.

Asked about a syndicate, he said there is no such thing in Cumilla and people are only talking in the current situation. "I can say firmly that there may be syndicates in other businesses, but not in the egg business. Eggs are perishable, so even if someone wanted to, they could not be kept for long. They would spoil," he said.

Ali Akbar Masum, a human rights consultant in Cumilla, told Jago News that dishonest traders are always sheltered by someone, and together they form the syndicate. Until they are removed from that position, they will try to make excess profits by using the names of the government and various offices. Markets are not being monitored the way they should be; it is happening only in words. If proper supervision were done, dishonest traders would not get the chance to make excess profits, he said.

Md Asadul Islam, assistant director of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection in Cumilla, told Jago News that markets for eggs and other essentials were being monitored regularly, and action would be taken against dishonest traders if any irregularity was found.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.