Broiler chicken prices soared just before the start of Ramadan, but it did not take long for relief to return. Broiler prices have been falling steadily for a week, dropping by Tk 50 to Tk 60 a kg over the last three days. Egg prices show the opposite picture: in the last three days they have risen by up to Tk 10 a dozen.

A visit to various markets in the capital on Sunday found brown farm eggs selling at Tk 140 a dozen. In neighbourhood grocery shops a hali (four eggs) now costs Tk 47–48, and in some places Tk 50.

On the same day broiler chicken was selling at Tk 220–230 a kg, a price that had been close to Tk 300 on the day before the fast began. Consumer prices started to fall after the four leading companies in the poultry sector set the farm-gate price of broilers at Tk 190–195 a kg.

Traders say there is no link between the fall in chicken prices and the rise in egg prices. They say the government has fixed the price of chicken, so there is no chance of selling it for more, but eggs have no fixed price and are rising because of a supply shortage.

Enamul, an egg seller at Karwan Bazar, said egg supply is much lower because of rain across the country, which is why prices have been rising for three days.

Kalam, another egg seller at the same market, said egg prices go up one moment and down the next. "Earlier I sold them at Tk 130 a dozen. Then it became Tk 135, then fell back to Tk 130. Now prices are rising at the wholesale depots. In the market it has gone up by Tk 10 a dozen. I can't sell for less than Tk 140."

Jamal Hossain, another egg trader at Karwan Bazar, said: "Egg prices suddenly went up. The rise has been going on for three days. It's one thing today and another tomorrow. Every day I have to pay Tk 5 more per dozen. The companies should fix egg prices as they did for broilers."

Jahangir, an egg trader at the same market, said there is no extra demand for eggs during the fast, but demand has risen somewhat because fish and meat prices are very high. People are eating eggs.

Buyers pay a few taka more for eggs at neighbourhood grocery shops, where a hali sells for Tk 47–48 and in some places Tk 50. White farm eggs are a little cheaper at Tk 45 a hali. Duck eggs sell for Tk 75 to Tk 80 a hali depending on the market.

Md Sumon Howlader, president of the farmers' body Poultry Association, told Jagonews by mobile phone that the companies had been compelled to fix chicken prices but egg prices had not been fixed. "Taking this opportunity, egg prices are being raised to make extra profit," he said.

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