People who love to eat eggs will now have to shell out more money, the sudden surge of prices of eggs started pinching the consumers who love to have them in all seasons. Around 50 lakh chickens have died due to the extreme heat conditions prevailing in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh states within a short span of time.
Both hovering heat and Swine Flu were the main reasons for death of birds in large scale, experts in the poultry industries opined, which in turn resulted in the prices hike.
It is quite normal egg prices shoots up during summer season, but the sudden death of chicken further lowered the production leading to the prices of the eggs to skyrocket. In open market the price of each egg is Rs 4.50. The price of dozen eggs has risen from Rs 36 to Rs 54, a fortnight ago.
Kothapalli Narsaiah, an agriculture labour, said they used to eat egg curry every alternate day, but now they have reduced the consumption since last two weeks, following the hike in the price. They are eating eggs twice in a week, he added.
National Egg Coordination Committee (NECC) district president A Mohan Reddy said poultry industry affected badly due to the heavy temperatures in the recent summer. There was 40 lakh lyre birds population in 130 poultry farms across the district. An average, there would be 80 to 85 percent eggs production per day. It has fallen to 40 to 50 percent which resulted in the raise of price.
Poultry industry, which gained momentum recently after suffering a big jolt during the last three years, has again struck in troubles with heavy temperatures and Swine Flu, Nawab said and asked the State government to take measures to protect the poultry industry.