Mysuru: After a slump a few months ago, egg prices have touched a new high, reaching Rs 750 per 100 eggs in Mysuru and Rs 735 per 100 eggs in Bengaluru. Prices are expected to rise further, with poultry farmers anticipating the upward trend to continue for the next few weeks.According to industry data, these are the highest egg prices recorded in the state’s two major egg markets since 2009, when the National Egg Coordination Committee (NECC) began maintaining records. The increase comes despite a nearly 62% decline in exports to West Asian countries following the outbreak of the war.NECC data shows that egg prices, which had fallen to Rs 425 per 100 eggs on March 29 as the conflict disrupted exports, have since rebounded and reached a record high. Poultry farmers say prices may rise further if current market conditions remain favourable.“However, due to the increase in feed and transportation costs, profit margins have remained largely unchanged,” said Nagesh KL, a poultry farmer from Yelwala on the outskirts of Mysuru. “The prevailing weather conditions are also favourable for the industry. Earlier, there was a bird flu scare,” he added.According to industry sources, exports to West Asian countries remain well below pre-war levels. During the initial phase of the conflict, exports were completely halted. Although exports have now resumed at about 30 lakh eggs a day, they are still significantly lower than the pre-war daily average of 80 lakh eggs.NECC zonal president Satish Babu attributed the price rise to multiple factors. “The cost of various inputs used in the poultry industry — including soybean and maize feed, broken rice, sunflower feed and transportation — has increased severalfold. Naturally, egg prices have also gone up,” he said.According to Babu, Bengaluru is the state’s largest egg market, with a daily demand of 80 lakh to one crore eggs. Mysuru records daily sales of eight to 10 lakh eggs. “Compared to the demand, supply remains low. A shortage of layer birds is one of the reasons for this,” he said.He added that the state govt should relax norms for setting up new poultry farms to improve the demand-supply ratio in the sector.
