Bangladesh: Demand for eggs outpaces supply amid production data mismatch

The supply of eggs cannot meet demand as consumers are increasingly relying on this easy source of protein due to the rising prices of essential commodities – from fish and vegetables to almost everything else in the market, according to stakeholders. The demand for eggs has increased, while its daily production has declined by approximately 50 lakh pieces due to severe flooding that has affected poultry farms in the south-eastern region, they say. As market instability has persisted for over a month, the Department of Agricultural Marketing set the price of each egg at Tk11.87. However, despite the effort, the market remained uncontrolled, and prices continued to rise. In response, the government approved the import of 4.5 crore eggs. While news of imports has led to a slight reduction in egg prices, consumers still have to pay Tk14 or more per egg, retailers say. According to data from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the current daily demand for eggs in ...