Eggs now beyond capacity of poor, profiteering must be criminalised
Without any rhyme or reason, eggs were being sold at Tk 165 a dozen at retailers’ level on Wednesday breaking all previous records, but the price was Tk 15 less last week.
This shooting of price of essential commodities happens quite often in Bangladesh where the government has no control over business syndicates that fleece people without any qualms of conscience.
If poor people’s protein gets pricier at such a pace, certainly low income groups, who are already bearing the brunt of skyrocketing prices of all essential commodities, will be in further trouble.
Their meals will be compromised once again. For taking low or no protein for a couple of weeks, these income groups will fall ill or end up being very weak.
Eventually, this poorer section will turn into an inefficient and feeble labour force and ultimately affect the economic growth and development of the country.
However, more than the economy, it is necessary to ensure that people in the country must be well-fed.
The poultry sector, which is alleged to have been running with contract farming, is controlled by a small number of businesspeople.
The oligopolistic control of poultry business in absence of the voices of marginal poultry farmers has often been held responsible for the price hike of chicken and eggs.
Moreover, profiteers and hoarders also contribute to the exorbitant prices of eggs. Due to a long hot spell of weather, many layers either died or laid a lesser number of eggs.
The country gets around four crore pieces of egg every day whereas the total population is around 17 crore. The daily demand at Tejgaon market in Dhaka, which is home to around two crore people, is 20 to 22 lakh pieces.
We urge the government to look into the wellbeing of the fixed and low income groups by strictly monitoring the protein production and marketing.
Government can start open market sale of protein including eggs besides taking punitive action against the vested quarters in the poultry sector.
