March 10: Nepal Egg Producers’ Association has increased the price of eggs effective from Wednesday (March 9). The price of eggs has now increased to Rs 395 per crate for big-sized eggs and Rs 365 per crate for medium-sized eggs. Earlier, the price of big-sized egg was Rs 365 per crate and the price of medium-sized eggs was Rs 335 per crate. According to the increased price, the factory price per egg is Rs 13.16 but the consumer price has been fixed at Rs 16 per piece.

The rising price of eggs consumed on a daily basis has benefited middlemen and traders more than the poultry farmers. Even though the price has gone up, the amount received by the farmers is only Rs 13.16 per egg. The consumer price has been fixed at Rs 16 by adding the transportation charge.

Although the association has fixed the new retail price of Rs 16, the traders were found charging up to Rs 17 from the consumers when the gate price of eggs was Rs 12.16. Now that the association has set the consumer price at Rs 16, traders can charge consumers between Rs 18 to Rs 19.

Chairman of the Nepal Egg Producers' Association Shivaram KC said that the price received by the farmers was not much more than their production cost. According to him, if the price is to be adjusted in such a way that the poultry farmers can make a profit, then the gate price of egg should be raised to Rs 15 which would increase the price of eggs to Rs 450 per crate.

According to the association, the demand for eggs has increased in Nepal recently and the price had to be increased due to the decline in production. Apart from this, the association has said that the rise in price of raw material for poultry feed has affected the price of eggs.

Earlier, 3.8 million eggs were produced per day in Nepal, but now the production has been reduced to 3.4 million, according to the association. Due to the increase in the price of grains, most of the farmers have not been able to raise chickens. The decline in poultry farming has led to a decline in production of eggs.

The price of soybean, the main raw material of poultry feed, has gone up by Rs 55 per kg and maize by Rs 10 per kg in a year. Recently, Chinese businessmen have increased their consumption of raw materials including soybeans, which has led to shortage in other countries. Rabin Puri, president of the Grain Industries Association, said that the price may have gone up due to the same reason.