Egg retail prices drop due to low demand

MANILA, Philippines — Egg traders are reeling from the decreasing farmgate and retail prices as well as from low demand for the poultry product, according to Gregorio San Diego, chairman of the United Broiler Raisers’ Association.

San Diego said the farmgate price of eggs has gone down to P5 per piece.

“This is good news for consumers, but it is not good news for our producers,” San Diego said.

He said egg supply is stuck in farms due to low demand.

“We are suffering losses at present. If the retail price of eggs is P6 (per piece), the farmgate price is only P5,” San Diego said, noting that egg producers spend at least P4.75 daily for feeds of every chicken layer.

“That is only for feeds. It does not include labor and consumption in electricity,” San Diego said.

Egg producers met recently to discuss the matter. They attributed the low demand to the decreasing purchasing power of consumers.

“People have no money. They prioritize the expenses for electricity, water, rent and fares. In terms of food, the priority is rice. Now that retail prices of the staple reached as high as P75 per kilo, the budget for food diminished further,” San Diego said.

Latest monitoring by the Department of Agriculture showed the lowest retail price of medium-sized eggs was P6.80 per piece.

On Jan. 26, the retail price of medium-sized eggs was P7.33 per piece or a difference of at least P0.50 per piece.

Retail prices of whole chicken ranged between P150 and P200 per kilo.

Based on monitoring of UBRA, the farmgate price of chicken was P106.50 per kilo.