SATISH HANDA
During lock down period, due to COVID-19, prices of eggs as well as birds including broilers witnessed fall in rates due to extremely poor demand. The tray containing 30 eggs was sold at the rate Rs 97 each in wholesale market, which is now being sold at the rate Rs 165 each tray at present and prices are constantly rising with the change of season. The prices of eggs are likely to increase further after approaching ‘Navratras’. The prime reason for decline in sale of eggs during lock down period was due to rumours that eggs are harmful causing spread of corona virus in human body. Another reason for rising egg prices at present is due to drop in production of eggs and increase in demand since most of the health advisors now suggest that egg are helpful to increase immunity in the body capable to fight corona virus.
The sale of eggs and broilers was drastically dropped during lock down period declared in the state on March 25 till May 20 this year when owners of most of the poultry farms unable to bear the cost of production due to rising feed prices and increased labour charges as well as poor demand of eggs were forced to burry alive nearly a crore birds in Haryana state. Poultry farmers told that the eggs could not be despatched against handful orders received in this period on on slashed price in the absence of transport facilities during lock down period and they were forced to throw eggs in waste. According to poultry farmers at famous Barwala-Raipur Rani belt in the state having more than 300 poultry farms in the area but at the time when there were no buyers in wholesale markets for purchase of eggs even at the rate of Rs 30 each tray containing 30 eggs as such most of owners of poultry farmers buried birds alive or sold at throw away prices and many farmers closed down their poultry farms. Information reveals that more than 25% to 30% poultry farms unable to bear the loss were closed down in this period.
A leading wholesale eggs trader in the area Raju More told that doctors now suggest eggs are useful to increase immunity in the body the sale eggs has again increased at present. Moreover, consumption of eggs in hotels, restaurants, roadside dhabas and street vendors has been started. He said,, between 2 to 2.5 crore eggs are being supplied from Haryana to other states including U.P, Bihar, Jammu-Kashmir, Uttaranchal, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland daily from nearly two crore birds in the poultry farms in the state.
