Consumers pay more for eggs due to monopoly of syndicate: BPA

Syndicates of corporate companies and traders across the country set and adjust the price of eggs. Marginal farmers are therefore unable to recoup their egg production costs. Once more as a result of the monopoly syndicate, consumers must pay more for eggs.

Bangladesh Poultry Association (BPA) made these allegations in a press conference at Dhaka Reports Unity on Saturday.

BPA advisory council member and Bangladesh SME Forum President Chashi Mamun, BPA Vice President Bappi Kumar Dey, General Secretary Ilyas Khandkar and marginalized farmers were present in the press conference.

They claimed by the organization that the egg market suddenly became unstable through syndicates across the country. Behind this is the manipulation of Tejgaon Egg Traders Association of the capital. Because they control the price of eggs in the country.

President of the organization Suman Howladar said, "The cost of producing an egg at the marginal level is Tk 9.50 to Tk 10.50. Currently, each egg is being sold in the retail market for Tk 12 to Tk 12.5. We think this price of eggs is reasonable. Now because the egg market is stable, the producer (farmer) is getting a fair price and the consumer is also able to buy eggs at a fair price. But sometimes the market becomes unstable due to the manipulation of egg traders associations and corporate companies. Farmers then cannot even bear the cost of egg production."

Suman Howladar said, "The control of the countrys egg market is in the hands of corporate companies. They raise prices when they want and lower prices when they want."

He claimed that Tejgaon Egg Traders Association implements higher or lower prices of eggs by sending SMS on mobile and posting on Facebook every day. And it is sold all over the country at this price.

The syndicate reduces the price of eggs as per their wish and stores them in cold storage. Later, those eggs are sold again at a higher price. Due to this, the marginal farmers are not getting fair price and are withdrawing from the poultry business. Besides, various corporate companies are cutting the throats of farmers by selling chicks at higher prices than the fixed price every month.

Therefore, to resolve these crises, he also demanded to break the syndicate of corporate companies, poultry feed, chicks and eggs of Arotdar and set a fair price.