Govt to import eggs if required

Suraj A. Bandara

Co-operatives and Internal Trade Ministry is ready to import eggs if required for the upcoming festive season.

This step is taken to regularize a possible increase of price of eggs in the local market, Cooperatives and Internal Trade Minister Johnston Fernando said.

He said he has been instructed by the President to submit a report within one month on importing eggs.

The report will be prepared according to the data collected following a study on egg price and its demand in the market during the festive season, he said.

Current price of a egg is Rs. 16. All step will be taken to bring down the price from the present price level.

Commodities will be provided at a concessionary price during the festive season, he said.

The Minister pointed out that local poultry farmers were unable to meet the local demand for eggs due to the shortage of layers.

However, the Government is fully responsible to safeguard the rural poultry farmers who are running small scale poultry farms.

The annual requirement of egg is estimated over hundred million whereas the local production is limited to only 75 million. The rest of the demand has to be imported due to lack of local production.

Importing eggs have become mandatory due to the inability of local production, the Minister added.