PANAJI
Once, children read about Humpty Dumpty falling off a wall. Today, however, the “fall” seems missing, as egg prices in Goa have climbed to Rs 100 per dozen and stayed at that level through the weekend. Eggs are a staple in most Goan homes, especially for breakfast. They are eaten as omelettes, scrambled eggs or boiled eggs. Many people also drink raw egg with honey for protein. Gym trainers suggest eggs for strength, and even pet doctors recommend one egg a day for grown dogs.
The rising prices of eggs are a cause of concern for Goans. Eggs are an essential ingredient for making most Christmas goodies. “This year’s Christmas hampers are going to be pricey,” worries Fatima Fernandes, a shopkeeper from Margao who sells homemade plum cakes and bebinca, both of which require eggs as an essential ingredient. Many other festive preparations also require eggs. So the price is expected to further escalate by mid-December and remain at an elevated level until the New Year and after that.
Fatima doesn’t make the cakes, cookies and goodies herself as she did a few years ago, but keeps items made by others at home. If eggs are so expensive, naturally the price of the products will also have to be raised. “I have my regular, loyal customers who come to buy year after year due to my reasonable rates. Looks like I’ll have to disappoint them this year by quoting a higher price,” she shares her concern.
The price hike is reflected at the small paan-beedi shops too, which keep eggs for sale. “My price of eggs is Rs 100 a dozen today,” said Manjunath, a shopkeeper at St Inez in Panaji. Manjunath recalls selling eggs for Rs 60 per dozen four-five years ago when he first opened the shop. Today he buys them for Rs 97–98 a dozen from a distributor and sells them with a margin of two-three rupees. “In our area there are four distributors, and each quotes his own different price. I sold them for Rs 80 and Rs 90 in the beginning of the week. Now it is constant at Rs 100,” said Manjunath, who sells two to three crates in a day.
Poultry and egg retailer Babloo Chicken Centre at St Inez is also selling eggs at Rs 100 per dozen and live chicken for Rs 190 a kilo. “The hen prices were Rs 170 some days ago, but with the price of eggs, chicken rates have also gone up,” said the vendor.
Be it chicken or eggs, Goa is not self-sufficient in either. There are no commercial poultry farms in the State, which consumes around seven lakh eggs per day. Consumption goes up by 20% in the winter. As Christmas and New Year approach, demand will also rise. This is routine. But prices have never gone so high in previous years. Eggs are one commodity that had not seen any alarming hike earlier, as the rise had been steady over the years.
Some blame the price rise on the paucity of stocks at the production level due to the winter season, when poultry birds lay fewer eggs. Usually, the National Egg Coordination Council (NECC) keeps a watch on the sharp rise in retail prices of eggs and keeps a check on retailers who may try to take undue advantage of rising demand.
Most of the poultry that comes to Goa is from Maharashtra, from places like Kolhapur and Sangli, and from Belagavi in Karnataka. Prices differ when the stock comes from Belagavi, as it is cheaper than that from Maharashtra. A wholesaler from Mapusa keeps stock of eggs from Belagavi, while the one in Merces has stock from Maharashtra. “We get our stock of chicken and eggs from Kolhapur,” said the owner of Ambika Chicken Centre near Cine Lata in Margao. His price keeps fluctuating depending upon the wholesale price at Kolhapur. On Saturday, he sold a dozen eggs for Rs 84. Goa gets 80% of its requirement from Karnataka and the remaining 20% from Maharashtra.
Hotels and restaurants purchase in bulk at wholesale price from the wholesalers in the market. The ros-omelette gaddas on the roadside buy from retailers. Though hotels may not hike the prices of their dishes, it is the small kiosks selling omelettes on the road that will have to bear the brunt of inflated prices. “Our sales will not come down, but the profit margins surely will,” admitted a vendor near the Old Bus Stand in Margao, whose evenings are busy selling ros-omelette pao to hundreds of customers.
According to Jaikrishna Naik, president of the All Goa Poultry Traders Association, exports have increased to other countries, and suppliers are concentrating on sending stock outside rather than catering to domestic demand. The current price hike can be attributed partially to this factor too. The other factor is lesser production due to winter, as lower temperatures reduce egg laying. A salesperson at a popular chicken centre stated that the surge in demand is cyclical and recurs every year with higher winter consumption and Christmas preparations. However, for bakers, confectioners and traditional Goan sweet makers, this price hike is a cause of concern, making festive bakes pricey this year.
