May 9, 2013

India's chicken, eggs prices increase by up to 95%

Chicken and egg prices rose by up to 95 % in different areas of India on higher feed cost in 2012-13 fiscal year, agriculture minister Sharad Pawar said.

Quoting the report of the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Pawar said, "Average prices of chicken in different stations during 2012-13 have shown increase, ranging from 3.8 % to 95.5 % compared to 2011-12; and average prices of eggs in different parts of the country showed variations from - 1.8 % to 22 % during 2012-13.

One of the major reasons for increase in prices of poultry products is rise in the price of poultry feed and feed ingredients like soymeal and corn, Pawar said.

He also said the government has not imposed ban on export of poultry items after the recent outbreak of Avian Influenza.

To curb prices of these items, the government had allowed duty-free import of oil cakes, used as animal feed, till March 31. Import duty on corn bran has been waived from September 2012.