Indian chicken, eggs in market today

Irangika Range

The first consignment of chicken and eggs imported from India will be released to the market from today, Cooperatives and Internal Trade Minister Johnston Fernando told the Daily News.

The Minister said 500 metric tonnes of chicken and two million eggs arrived in the country on December 23. They will be ready for distribution from today to meet the shortages in the domestic market for the festive season.

A kilo of chicken will be sold at Rs.350 while one egg will be priced between Rs.11 and Rs.12.

However, attempts by an organized mafia to increase egg prices to Rs.16 was averted with the arrival of imported eggs to the country. Now it is reported that the price of an egg has gone down to Rs 14, the Minister said.

Protecting local farmers and the country’s poultry industry has been a top priority of the Government.

But It had no other option but to import chicken and eggs due to certain traders were trying to create an artificial scarcity to jack up the prices of these items targeting the festive season. As a result of the traders’ mafia, the poor consumers had to bear the brunt and pay more for essential commodities, Minister Fernando said. The Government will not allow unscrupulous traders to make huge profits, casting a heavy burden on helpless consumers.

“We will directly get involved in reducing the prices of essential commodities even after the festive season, if the traders’ mafia continues to exploit an artificially created situation,” he further said.