Shortage of Eggs Leads to Massive Spike in Price in Assam amid COVID Lockdown

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Since the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the entire Assam the common public has witnessed a massive spike in price of essential commodities including eggs since 2020. It is to be mentioned here that with the curfew in place, the price of eggs which are generally procured from states likes Andhra Pradesh and Haryana has seen a steady hike in price and is said to further inflate.

Notably on April 25, 2021 the price of eggs per plate (30 eggs) cost Rs. 150, however now the price has gone up by Rs. 200 per plate on date. Further, as on April 25, 2021, each carton of eggs which holds 7 plates of eggs cost Rs. 1030, however now it cost Rs. 1370 in the market. Churiya Egg Centre's owner Robiul Hussian, an egg whole seller in Guwahati while speaking to The Sentinel said, "Since the 2020 lockdown in Assam, the price of eggs have gone up and before the lockdown a pair of egg cost Rs. 10 and Rs. 130 per plate only."

He further stated that the price of the eggs since the lockdown have not come down and remained to constantly rise. "On 1st July 2020 the price of eggs went up to Rs. 12 per pair and it further increased in July 22, 2020 with Rs. 140 per plate and in September 2020 it went up by Rs. 160 per plate, he added. Speaking on the price of the eggs, Robiul Hussian said that the price is fixed by two organisations- Andhra Pradesh based National Egg Coordination Committee (NECC) and Haryana based Barwala Egg Traders Association (BETA).

Hussian further said that recent rise in egg price has been witnessed and per egg truck which consists of 1288 cartons requires Rs. 1.65 lakh only in transportation and along with the eggs the cost of eggs per truck goes up by Rs. 17, 38,800 in recent day. "With the transportation charge per truck along with the eggs, we are calculating the price of egg per plate which is Rs. 200," said Hussian. Hussian further alleged that there is a shortage of eggs in Assam and on normal days 12 trucks of eggs is required in Guwahati only, however, the same is not coming on a daily basis due to the ongoing curfew and lockdown in other states. Notably, till the entire lockdown process is over, the city might witness a hike of Rs. 30 per plate in coming days.

Also Read: Deputy Commissioner of Sivasagar Fixed Rates of Essential Commodities