Members of the Association of Table Egg Producers will hold an emergency meeting to discuss increases in the price of eggs and feed. This was disclosed yesterday by the group's president Kazim Khan. "We have to meet because the increase in the price of feed is affecting our ability to feed our laying hens. We want to produce eggs at the most economical price and remain in business.
"The increase in the price of feed is impacting on our ability to survive. At the end of it, we have no other choice but to raise our prices. We will try our best as much as possible so the consumers would benefit in some form," Khan said. He said there was the need for consensus from other farmers and the group is meeting to see how they we can raise the prices. "Once we have agreement on the prices, we will then advertise in the newspaper. Customers will get the new prices," Khan said.
But he felt they were left with no option but to raise egg prices. "We have no choice. This is a global problem. I?am glad we are getting a reliable and dependable supply of feed. We must have feed for livestock." On Saturday, a release from the?association gave some of the cost increases for eggs: "This feed price increase in some cases is as much as $16.61 per bag, resulting in a consequential increase in egg prices of ten to 12 cents per egg."
"Feed represents about 70 per cent of the production cost of table eggs,"?said Khan. Khan said they had to brace for an increase in the price of baby chicks which are imported from Miami, and take about 21 days to hatch. "They went up. They are going up by about $1 come?September." Khan shared some of the new prices. "It is an increase of about eight to nine per cent for feed. The feed is an increase of more than $15. The egg has an increase of about eight per cent. It would put us between about $120 and $150 per dozen more," he said.
Before increase, bag of feed: $197
After increase around $211.
Eggs
small- $13.63
medium- $14.18
large- $14.78
extra large- $15.23
jumbo- $15.68
