City egg crunch
BENGALURU
As prices of fruits and vegetables continue to rise, chicken eggs have now joined the list of essential items becoming costlier, with Bengaluru facing a significant daily shortage. Demand for eggs, chicken and fish typically increases during the winter season, and eggs see especially high consumption. The festive period, with heightened cake production for Christmas and New Year, has added further pressure on egg supplies.
Compounding the problem, poultry farming has slowed since last year’s bird flu outbreak, reducing production across the state. According to the Karnataka Poultry Traders’ Association, Bengaluru requires around 1.1 crore eggs every day, but the market is currently short by 30–40 lakh eggs.
The shortage has pushed retail prices up sharply. Eggs that were sold at Rs 5 each are now priced between Rs 7 and Rs 8. A major contributing factor is the large-scale export of eggs from Namakkal in Tamil Nadu—around 79 lakh eggs per day—leading to reduced supply for Karnataka’s markets.
Chicken prices have also spiralled. Broiler chicken now sells for Rs 150 per kg, while farm chicken costs around Rs 170 per kg. With rising prices of both chicken and eggs, the cost of food items prepared from them is expected to increase in the coming weeks.
Traders estimate that the situation is unlikely to improve for at least two to three months, given the current supply constraints and seasonal demand.
