Crack down on middlemen creating artificial egg shortage

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) yesterday warned countrywide large-scale egg collectors and egg sellers to refrain from hoarding egg stocks which will create an artificial egg shortage in the country.

Consumer Affairs and Information Director Asela Bandara told the Daily News that the current egg prices have gone up due to non-releasing egg stocks to the open market by middlemen, egg collectors and certain traders.

He said the CAA has already taken a decision to crack down on individuals who are hoarding eggs with the intention of selling them at higher prices after creating an artificial egg shortage.

“There is no any reason to sell eggs at higher prices since the price of eggs came down last week and accordingly each egg could be sold between Rs. 28 and Rs. 32,” he said.

When interviewed many egg sellers said currently poultry farms are releasing ample eggs and therefore traders could sell eggs between Rs.28 and Rs. 32 each.

Meanwhile, the Agriculture Ministry Secretary, Nishantha Wickramasinghe says a discussion was held with President Dissaanayake at the Presidential Secretariat on Monday to discuss the reason for the price increase of eggs and rice.

The All-Island Egg Traders Association (AIETA) Secretary Anurasiri Marasinghe said currently egg producers spend between Rs. 23 to Rs. 25 to produce an egg and it is not ethical to sell these eggs between Rs. 40 to Rs. 45.

He also said the current egg shortage in the market is due to storing eggs in cold rooms by middlemen to sell them at higher prices during the forthcoming festive season and authorities should investigate this.

The post Crack down on middlemen creating artificial egg shortage appeared first on DailyNews.