Egg prices to increase from Monday, producers announce

Egg prices will increase from Monday (20), with the retail price of a white egg rising to Rs. 41 and a red egg to Rs. 42, the All Ceylon Egg Producers’ Association announced. Association Chairman Sarath Ratnayake made the announcement at a media briefing held in Kuliyapitiya on Sunday, blaming the government and relevant authorities for the price increase. He said the complete suspension of corn imports has created a severe shortage of poultry feed, while local corn production is insufficient to meet the needs of the egg industry. According to Ratnayake, producers have been forced to use substitute feed ingredients, including rice, which has adversely affected the health and digestion of poultry. He claimed this has resulted in a 20 to 30 percent drop in egg production. He also alleged that some unscrupulous traders have mixed chemicals and medicines into animal feed, causing the deaths of large numbers of poultry and resulting in heavy losses for farmers.(Newswire)