September 22, 2023

Bangladesh's egg import plan may affect small-scale farmers

Bangladeshi market analysts and economists said that the government's decision to allow the import of eggs may provide temporary relief for consumers, but will harm small-scale poultry farmers, and have called for a closer examination of the root causes of the egg price surge, suggesting that importation alone may not solve the issue, New Age Business reported.

M Asaduzzaman, former research director of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, said that addressing the egg price instability requires a deeper understanding of the factors at play.

He said that merely allowing imports without addressing the underlying issues, such as the rising production costs and price gouging by feed and chicks suppliers, will not provide a long-term solution.

While some see the government's decision to permit egg imports as a signal to the poultry sector, others are concerned that it may open the door for importers to profit unfairly. The approval sets the price of imported eggs at BDT 12 (~US$0.11; BDT 10 = US$0.091) per piece, which could lead to price disparities if not closely monitored.

The Consumers Association of Bangladesh hopes that egg imports will have an effective impact on market. Ghulam Rahman, president of the association, said that the allowing imports will restrain businesses from profit mongering.

Sumon Hawlader, president of the Bangladesh Poultry Industries Association, blames a syndicate of large companies for creating an artificial egg crisis and raising prices.

He urged the government to investigate why production costs in Bangladesh are significantly higher than in neighbouring India, where eggs cost between BDT 4 – BDT 5 (~US$0.036 - US$0.046) per piece.

-      New Age Business