November 29, 2007

India's egg panel to draft egg wholesale pricing strategy

India's National Egg Coordination Committee (NECC) met with poultry farmers to draft a strategy to prevent wholesalers from deciding the egg prices.

Harish Juneja, NECC northern region chairman, said the group will discuss how to limit wholesalers and large stockists on dictating the egg price.

Juneja elaborated that poultry farmers in the northern region are not united causing wholesalers to decide on the prices. 

The problem is not confined to Delhi alone, as Punjab and Haryana farmers also face the same problem, NECC said.

NECC declares egg prices on a daily basis and poultry farmers are expected not to sell below that level.

However, trade sources observed the presence of NECC members who are also wholesalers, which could also lead to biased decisions.

Pramod Nagpal, egg wholesaler, said that the rate should be determined by demand and supply and not by anybody's hands. 

Meanwhile, egg prices in India moved up to US$5.18 per 100 pieces from yesterday's US$5.15 in Delhi. The farm gate price was US$4.95 per 100 eggs in Punjab and Haryana.