Another 2.31 lakh eggs imported from India

Amid the spiralling prices of eggs at local markets, another shipment of 2.31 lakh eggs entered the country from India through Benapole land on Saturday 19 October.

Dhaka-based importer 'Hydro Land Solution' brought it the consignment costing Tk5.70 per egg.

With a Tk1.83 import duty at the land port, the buying price of each egg stands at over Tk7.5.  The government has permitted the import of 4.5 crore eggs in phases.

By next month (November), another 90 lakh chicken eggs will arrive from India.

Shah Alam, a representative of the importer Hydro Land Solution, said the Ministry of Commerce permitted it to import 50 lakh eggs in two months, setting a deadline of 10 September.

But, the importers could import some three lakh eggs in two shipments, he said, blaming the political instability for being barred from importing.

Upon appeals, the ministry extended the deadline by two more months till November, the representative said.

Masudur Rahman, revenue officer of the land port, confirmed that per egg costs over Tk7.50 with tax.

Bangladesh's National Board of Revenue (NBR) on 17 October slashed import duty on eggs from 25% to 5% to control prices.

The egg import duty cut would reduce import costs of eggs by Tk13.8 per dozen, making the country's cheapest source of protein affordable for the commoners, the NBR said in a statement.

Recently low and middle-income people are being forced to cut short consumption of eggs as prices soared to Tk200 a dozen over the last week in Dhaka and other parts of the country.

According to the Ministry of Commerce estimates Bangladesh has a daily demand for 4 crore eggs.