The Hindu reports that the National Member of National Egg Coordination Committee (NECC) Bharanikana Rama Rao attributed the hike in price to the climatic condition. According to him, during peak summer the food intake of the birds drops drastically and it becomes difficult for the poultry farmers to produce birds of the desired weight. The drop in weight could range between 30 to 50 per cent. For example, if a bird weighs about a kilogram under normal weather conditions, during peak summer it would weigh between 600 to 700 gm. “Due to this reason there would be a severe drop in the production,” he said.

Apart from the reduction in weight, the survival of the birds also becomes a critical factor. During the height of summer (April- June) the survival rate falls by 20 to 30 per cent. “Both the factors in combination bring down the production rapidly and this triggers a huge mismatch between the supply and demand and this causes the rate to shoot up,” said Mr. Rama Rao.

The feed conversion ratio for broilers is 4.5 kg to 2 kg. That is if a chicken eats about 4.5 kg of feed, it is expected to grow and weigh about 2 kg. Another reason for the rate hike is the steep increase in the feed rate. “The feed rate has grown to Rs.2,700 per quintal from Rs.1,700 during the past four months,” said the National Member of NECC.

Soya is the main feed for the birds, and the fall of rupee in the international market in combination with the increase in export of soya has seen the increase in its rate in the domestic market.

However, in tune with the hike in the meat rate, the price of eggs has not increased correspondingly. “Two months ago it was Rs.2.65 per egg and it remains so even today. But the production has fallen by 20 to 30 per cent.

The price of eggs has not increased respectively, as the demand for eggs normally drops during the summer,” said the Zonal Chairman of NECC G. Ramakrishna Chowdhary.