Fatal blow to Namakkal poultry as egg price crashes to Rs 1.95 a piece

The wholesale price of the commodity was fixed at Rs 1.95 apiece-the lowest ever in recent years-by the National Egg Coordination Committee (NECC) in Namakkal zone on Wednesday.

The price was slashed by 70 paise from Rs 2.65 per piece.

NECC zonal chairman P Selvaraj said that the new rate will be in effect till March 24 and will be revised on March 25.

“I appeal to poultry owners not to sell eggs lesser than the price determined by NECC,” he said.

Tamil Nadu Egg Poultry Farmers Marketing Society (TNEPFMS) president V Subramanian said that eggs worth Rs 15 crore have stagnated in Namakkal owing to rumours on COVID-19 infection. He pegged the loss incurred by the poultry industry over the last few weeks at overRs 500 crore.

While the production cost of an egg is estimated to be four rupees, poultry farmers have been forced to sell the commodity at a heavy loss. “Poultry farmers are struggling to even provide feed to chicken. Efforts are now being taken to reduce production in farms. Both the State and the Centre should intervene and save the ailing industry,” Subramanian said.

More than 1100 poultry farms produce around 3.5 crore eggs per day in Namakkal zone.

The egg prices hovered over Rs 4.50 until last month. However, the rumours on social media that COVID-19 is transmitted via poultry consumption led to drop in prices of both chicken and eggs.