NAMAKKAL : Grappling with stiff competition in the international markets and export bottlenecks, the egg exporters in the region here have urged the Centre to take initiatives to explore new overseas markets in order to sustain the trade.
The volume of egg exports was dwindling during 2015 due to volatile overseas markets. Exporters struggled to market their produce in the first half of the year though the markets recovered in the second half.
According to the statistics compiled by the National Egg Coordination Committee (NECC), Namakkal zone, the volume of eggs exported from the region touched 727.37 lakh in September last, the highest figures for the whole year. The exports plummeted to the lowest in July, when the traders could send only 103.91 lakh eggs in June. August (401.47 lakh), November (396.75 lakh), October (377.86 lakh) and December (363.69 lakh) passed off without much disappointment.
With the international markets flooded with eggs from the Netherlands, the egg traders from India are gasping for breath to find potential buyers. “Holland is supplying eggs in the international market at a price matching Indian eggs. So several countries tilt towards Holland for purchasing,” noted P V Senthil, a Namakkal-based exporter. As of now, Namakkal-based exporters are sending consignments to a few countries that included Oman, Bahrain, Liberia and Afghanistan.
“The clamping of curbs in certain potential importing nations, including Dubai, citing occasional bird flu attacks in some parts of India, has deprived the exporters of better trade,” said Saravanakumar, general manager of Aishwarya Feeds.
Senthil, who is also the general secretary of Livestock Agri Farmers and Traders Association (LIFT), said, “The Centre must see how to explore new overseas markets and promote sale of Indian eggs.” Another exporter suggested the Centre think of setting up a panel to study the bottlenecks in egg exports and evolve a comprehensive mechanism to resolve them, besides institutionalising promotional measures.