After fishes and veggies, eggs get dearer; cost of bread to hike from Nov 20

MP | 31 Oct 2022 | Kolkata: Barely a few days after the prices of fishes and vegetables besides other essentials increased, the cost of chicken eggs in retail markets of Kolkata also increased by a rupee after Kali Puja, which was celebrated on October 24. 

The sellers blamed it on the increase in chicken feed prices. According to the National Egg Coordination Committee, the price of 100 eggs in Kolkata on October 9 was Rs 490 and it has risen to Rs 560 for 100 eggs on Friday. 

The rise in cost has led to emergence of different theories by both the retail sellers. While few blamed the rise in cost of eggs which come in from Hyderabad, thus leading to an inevitable rise in cost in Bengal and some remained confident that the price will remain high considering the approaching festival of Christmas, where eggs are an important component in making any kind of cake. 

However, the West Bengal Poultry Federation Secretary Madan Mohan Maity dismissed all these theories and stated that the increase in cost was long due. "Raw material input cost since 2018-2019 has increased by 85 per cent while fuel cost adds up to about 8.5 per cent of our total cost. Poultry is directly dependent on agriculture. If the cost of input increases, so will the cost of egg," Maity said, while adding that anything below the current price will be unremunerative for farmers. 

The price of bread will increase in Bengal from November 20. Bread weighing one pound (400 gm) which is presently priced at Rs 28 will be available at Rs 32 while half a pound bread will cost Rs 16 up from Rs 14. 100 gm bread will also be dearer and will cost Rs 8 instead of Rs 7. 

Labour dept Secretary of Joint Action Committee of Bakery Owners in the state Idris Ali said that they are being compelled to increase the price of bread as the cost of raw materials like flour, sugar , ghee etc has gone up in recent times. 

" We will be giving clear instructions that no retailer will charge the customers the increased price before November 20," Ali added.

He reiterated that the price of bread in Bengal is the lowest in the country . The entire month of October saw hike in the costs of daily products in the retail market across the city. The first increase had taken place ahead of Durga Puja while the second surge occurred during the Lakshmi Puja. 

The third hike in retail prices of the commodities took place ahead of Kali Puja and Diwali. Most of the vegetables are available at Rs 70 to Rs 80 per kilogram. 

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