The Hindu Business Line reports that sources said the ongoing increase was unusual, as egg rate usually picked up only towards the end of May.

The increase was the seventh price hike in the last two weeks _ an increase of 33 paise and by 58 paise in less than a month. It steadily increased from Rs. 2.40 on 29 April to Rs. 2.45 on 30 April, Rs. 2.52 (3 May), Rs. 2.57 (5 May), Rs. 2.62 (7 May), Rs. 2.68 (10 May) and Rs. 2.73 (12 May). “The market is favourable in all aspects with increase in consumption, production and favourable climatic conditions and similar increase in egg rates in other major zones across the country," NECC Chairman Dr P. Selvaraj said. He expressed confidence that its price might increase further – steadily – towards the end of this month.

These rates are higher than the poultry product's price in the following zones: Barwala (Rs. 2.39), E.Godavari, W.Godavari and Hyderabad (Rs. 2.41), Warangal (Rs. 2.45), Delhi and Vizag (Rs. 2.55), Vijayawada (Rs. 2.57), Nagpur and Indore (Rs. 2.60), Bhopal (Rs. 2.62), Jabalpur (Rs. 2.63), Ahmedabad, Allahabad and Raipur (Rs. 2.67), Varanasi (Rs. 2.69), Bangalore (Rs. 2.70), Pune, Kanpur and Chittoor (Rs. 2.71). The NECC Chairman said that wholesale price has chances of touching the Rs. 3 mark once again in the first week of June.

“By then, the demand for the commodity will be higher as sale of eggs for the Nutritious Noon Meal Scheme in schools will resume – at 45 lakh eggs a day,” Dr Selvaraj added.

“There has been a drop in production of 10 to 15 per cent during the summer, but there was no major impact on the production over the last couple of weeks – despite the ongoing ‘Agni Natchatram' as frequent moderate summer showers have reduce the impact of the rising mercury level and kept the temperature under control," he said.