Unusually high temperature hits egg production in Namakkal by 10 pc

COIMBATORE: Egg production in Namakkal, the poultry hub of Tamil Nadu, has dropped considerably by more than 10 per cent due to unusually high temperature.

The production normally drops during summer months due to soaring temperatures. “But, egg productivity increases, when temperature goes down from June and remains conducive thereafter for poultry farms. Poultry birds would adapt, even if there is an extended summer, but productivity takes a toll, when there is frequent change in climatic conditions, as it happens now,” said ‘Vangili’ Subramaniam, president of Tamil Nadu Egg Poultry Farmers Marketing Society.

Curiously, a drop in overall egg production has not pushed up its prices either as demand has also come down owing to the holy month of ‘Shrawan’ being observed in north Indian states, when people give up consuming eggs and as well as non-vegetarian food.

Because of low demand, the price of eggs from other hubs, like Hyderabad has also dropped considerably, which in-turn has forced Namakkal poultries to reduce their price.

“If we do not reduce price, then our domestic market, including Chennai will be flooded with eggs from Hyderabad. They enjoy a cost advantage by Rs 20 paisa per single egg due to easy availability of poultry feed like maize and soya at a lower cost. Poultries in Tamil Nadu have to source the feed from states like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, which adds up to production cost,” he added.

Egg production has been going up year on year due to adoption of advanced technologies. “From 4.5 crore eggs per day last year, the productivity raised up to five crore eggs per day this year in Namakkal. However, unfavorable climatic conditions at this time have led to a drastic drop by 50 lakh eggs per day,” said S Muralidharan, a poultry farmer.

‘Official apathy hampering exports’

A major issue hampering the process of exports for poultry farmers is undue delay in getting licenses from government bodies.

“There is high scope for doubling up exports by up to 10 crore eggs per month due to prevailing shortage of eggs in all countries. However, undue delay in obtaining compartmental license upto two years is hampering the export business. After granting license, it should be intimated to buyer nations of the approval given to any specific farm to facilitate exports,” say poultry farmers.

Poultry farmers lamented that they were running at a loss due to lack of support from the government. Egg exports from Namakkal which was in the range of upto 1.5 crore per month earlier had gone up to over five crore eggs over the last two years, thanks to individual efforts taken by the poultry farms.

The eggs are mainly sent to gulf nations like Dubai, Qatar, Kuwait, Muscat and Oman, besides neighbouring nations like Sri Lanka.

“It has been three months since our firm was awarded compartmental license, but still we couldn’t export as importing nations weren’t intimated of our grant of license. Despite repeated reminders, nothing materialises on the ground. There is even heavy demand for eggs in countries like Saudi Arabia. But they do not import from a firm that doesn’t have a compartmental license,” said ‘Vangili’ Subramaniam, president of Tamil Nadu Egg Poultry Farmers Marketing Society.

Meanwhile, prices of eggs crashed to a meager Rs 4.40 paisa per piece on August 20, which was a drop by 30 paisa in three days from August 18. Egg prices increased by a nominal ten paisa on August 22, but dropped again by 20 paisa and are currently sold at meager Rs 4.30 paisa on Sunday.

Farmers claimed that they would be able to recover production cost only if egg is sold at Rs 5 per piece. “The cost of eggs remains extremely low despite a sharp increase in poultry feed cost over the last two years,” said R Soundarajan, an egg exporter. More than 1,000 poultry farms produce over five crore eggs per day in Namakkal zone.