BHUBANESWAR: Egg prices in the state have hit an all-time high of Rs 9 a piece, fuelled by strong domestic and export demand and supply disruptions due to heat-induced chicken mortality this summer.
Traders said they are procuring eggs from poultry farms at around Rs 7.15 to Rs 7.20 a piece while wholesale prices have risen to Rs 8.5 per egg, translating to Rs 255-Rs 260 per tray of 30. The retail price, which was Rs 7 per egg till end of June, has now climbed to Rs 9 putting additional pressure on household food budgets that have already been strained by rising vegetable prices.
Poultry farmers blamed price hike of maize and soybean meal, aggravated by the ongoing West Asia conflict and ethanol demand along with unprecedented mortality of chicken during this summer for lower egg production.
The surge comes amid a sharp increase in exports of Indian eggs, particularly to Gulf, African and other Asian markets, where demand has strengthened amid the ongoing strife.
The reopening of schools has further boosted consumption. The state now supplies eggs three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, to more than 57 lakh students under the supplementary nutrition component of the PM POSHAN (mid-day meal) scheme. Since April 1, 2025, students of Classes IX and X have also been brought under the programme, expanding institutional demand.
Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Minister Gokulananda Mallik said the price rise was the result of multiple demand and supply factors. “The demand for eggs has increased significantly within Odisha and outside the state. Production was affected due to the large-scale death of poultry birds in the harsh summer this year, leading to availability crunch,” he said.
Egg exports to foreign countries have also increased recently, adding pressure on the supply chain. The government is now focusing on increasing egg production capacity to meet the rising demand, Mallik said.
He announced an additional Rs 10 crore subsidy for the poultry sector to expand production capacity and stabilise prices over the medium term.
The average production of eggs in the state is around 1.20 crore per day while the daily demand is about 1.40 crore leaving a gap of 20 lakh.
Meanwhile, food inflation has broadened beyond eggs. Prices of almost all vegetables, except potatoes, have risen by Rs 15-Rs 20 per kg over the past fortnight following incessant rainfall that has damaged crops in several parts of the state and disrupted supply.
