Egg prices in Namakkal, the country's eggland, have increased six per cent within a week. This is due a rise in demand and summer drawing to a close. Namakkal-based National Egg Coordinaton Committee (NECC) has increased the price by fifteen paise to Rs 2.54 this week.

Industry sources told Business Line that an ever-increasing demand and pricey fish (due to the 45-day fishing ban imposed by the State Government) have resulted in egg prices rising steadily. With the monsoon setting in and Kerala likely to impose fishing ban from June 14, poultry sources expect egg and chicken prices to be on the boil again. The re-opening of schools, a major consumer of eggs under the noon-meal scheme, and the much-awaited ferry service between Tuticorin and Colombo also provide a shot in the arm to the industry whose export basket almost dried up.

Egg prices touched a record Rs 3.02 in January, while broiler prices skyrocketed to Rs 75/kg during March-April.

Meanwhile, prices of layer birds ruled flat ,while that of cull birds edged up. NECC has maintained the rates of layer birds at Rs 44/kg, while the Broiler Coordination Committee has hiked the price to Rs 62/kg (Rs 60).

Namakkal's poultry industry is planning to scale up its layer-birds capacity to meet increasing demand. The strength of layer birds in the Namakkal Zone, as on March, stood at 45.9 million, and the industry hopes to add another 4 million to this.

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