The price of eggs has begun to drop after the Bangladesh Poultry Association began selling the staple food at subsidised prices from trucks in Dhaka before approved imports reached the country.
Retailers were charging customers Tk 55 for four eggs earlier this week, but the price went down to Tk 52 on Tuesday.
The Bangladesh Poultry Association began selling eggs at Tk 12 apiece, which is the price set by the government. The Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection backed the initiative in an effort to control the market.
The government set the price of eggs at farm level to Tk 10.50 per piece and a maximum retail price of Tk 12 apiece at the start of September, but the move had no effect on market prices initially.
The government also set the maximum price of potatoes at Tk 36 per kg and onions at Tk 65 per kg. Neither of these prices were effective at the retail level either. In fact, some retailers were selling eggs at Tk 14 apiece.
BPA President Sumon Hawlader said: “It is now having an impact on the market. We found that retailers will start selling at government prices, meaning at Tk 48 per four eggs within the next three days. Maybe then we won’t have to sell eggs from trucks any more. In that case, the prices for truck sales will be dropped further.”
“The price of wholesale eggs have dropped by Tk 50 for every 100 eggs. So, naturally, different shops in many areas are selling eggs at around Tk 12 apiece.”
Aminul Haque Bhuiyan, a shopkeeper in Mirpur, said: “If the wholesale prices of eggs rises, it will also do so at the retail level. We also want to sell eggs at lower prices. Now the price has dropped, so we’re able to lower it. But how long that will persist is still to be seen.”
Iqbal Hossain, another shopkeeper from north Pirerbagh, was not happy with the price ceiling of Tk 12. He said the price of eggs should be brought down to at least Tk 10 considering the current market trends.
He said even 10-12 years ago, four eggs could be bought at Tk 12, so such a hike in such a short amount of time is unbearable.