Egg price

The price of Egg and broiler , which rose earlier, may be going to fall but what about the profit from selling them ?

In a bid to bring down the prices of egg and broiler for consumers, the government yesterday formed a seven-member committee to reduce the price gap between producer and wholesaler levels.

Fisheries and Livestock Minister Abdul Latif Biswas yesterday told this to newsmen after a meeting held at the conference room of the ministry with the business leaders of the poultry sector.

A piece of egg is selling at Tk 7.50 in retail market, which is Tk 5.52 in production level, while the price of per kilogram broiler is now Tk 128 to Tk 130 in retail market, which is Tk 107 in production level, Latif said, adding that it happens mainly due to the middlemen.

The rate from producer to retailer level should be increased by as high as Tk 0.60 for each egg and Tk 10 for per kg broiler, he said.

"Deputy Secretary of Fisheries and Livestock Ministry Anisur Rahman will head the committee comprising the representatives of Bangladesh Poultry Industry Association and Egg Producer Association, and the committee will fix the rates every day," he said.

Latif said the committee, which will start its works from today, will fix both the production and retail prices everyday and will send the price index to the media on regular basis.

The minister also defended the price hike by the producers of both egg and broiler.

"The prices of egg and broiler increased due to a demand drive, reduced number of farms on bird flu scare, and price hike of poultry feed and medicine," he said.

"We have asked the poultry businessmen to submit short- and long-term plans identifying the problems of the poultry sector by seven days, and after scrutiny we will take decision about it," Latif said.

He said they also called upon people concerned to open showroom in every big poultry farm to reduce the price gap.

The decision of selling broiler and egg in BDR outlets is also being taken and Dhaka City Corporation has been requested to provide space to the producers for selling eggs at every DCC market, the minister added.

Khandoker Md Mohsin, adviser to Bangladesh Poultry Industry Association, said for the last two years the poultry sector has been facing a huge loss due to the avian influenza.

The number of poultry farms came down to 78,000 from 1.60 lakh because of bird flu, he said.