Hyderabad: The retail price of a single egg has boiled over to ₹8.5 in the city, registering a sharp rise from just 10 days ago. A tray of 30 eggs that sold for ₹180 now costs ₹240. Farmers are happy but consumers are feeling the pinch. Farmers are now getting ₹6.5 an egg, the highest amount recorded by National Egg Coordination Committee (NECC). This price exceeds that in Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, a key hub of egg production in southern India. Telangana produces around 4.2 crore eggs daily, with half consumed locally — and the rest is sent to states such as Maharashtra, UP, West Bengal, Bihar, parts of TN and several Andhra Pradesh districts.“Telangana is a major supplier of eggs to other states. During winter, many in northern states believe eating eggs benefits health, which increases demand. We expect farmers to get around ₹7 an egg soon. However, prices in India remain quite low compared with many countries such as the US. The difference between wholesale and retail prices here is not more than 30%. In most countries it’s around 50%,” NECC business manager Sanjay Chintavar told TOI.Egg production typically declines by 50% during colder months affecting supply, said traders. Many poultry farms have culled older batches of chicken, further limiting availability. Telangana is home to about 2,500 poultry farmers, 70% of whom supply over 1.5 lakh eggs a day. The jump is affecting not just individual consumers, but are straining govt programmes, too. Administrators of midday meal schemes and govt hostels are also feeling the impact as they struggle to manage rising costs. In some rural and remote areas, eggs are reportedly selling for even ₹9 each.
