Kathmandu, August 20
Egg prices have increased again with the start of Bhadra. The Nepal Layers Poultry Farmers Association has set new farm-gate support prices for eggs, effective from Thursday.
Based on Chitwan as the reference market, the new support prices have increased for all grades of eggs.
Under the new price list, an XL egg now costs Rs 590 per crate. The price of a large egg has been set at Rs 575 per crate, while a medium egg costs Rs 535 per crate. The price of small eggs has been maintained at Rs 3,200 per box.
The association has increased the price by Rs 15 per crate in less than a week. Previously, effective from August 15, the association had set the prices of XL, large and medium eggs at Rs 575, Rs 560 and Rs 520 per crate, respectively.
Egg prices have been steadily rising in recent weeks. The association had already raised the support price four times during Shrawan alone. At the beginning of Shrawan, the price of XL eggs was set at Rs 525 per crate, which had risen to Rs 575 by the end of the month.
With the beginning of Bhadra, another Rs 15 has been added, bringing the price of XL eggs to Rs 590 per crate.
Poultry businesses attribute the continued rise in egg prices mainly to declining production.
Association Chairperson Binod Pokharel said poultry farmers have been forced to raise prices because bird flu outbreaks led to the culling of large numbers of chickens, while chicken deaths have caused a significant decline in egg production, making it difficult to meet demand.
