UAE | Health

'70% of Indian eggs purchased by hotels'

There will be a shortage of eggs following the ban on the import of Indian poultry products. The retail prices of eggs in the country may go up by 10 to 30 per cent.

  • By Binsal Abdul Kader, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 23:42 July 31, 2007
  • Gulf News

  • The retail prices of eggs in the country may go up by 10 to 30 per cent soon following the ban on the import of Indian poultry products.
  • Image Credit:

Abu Dhabi: There will be a shortage of eggs following the ban on the import of Indian poultry products.

The retail prices of eggs in the country may go up by 10 to 30 per cent soon following the ban on the import of Indian poultry products, said retail chains. Supermarkets disclosed that some egg suppliers have already given them notice to increase the price.

The UAE has imposed a temporary ban on the import of all kinds of birds and products from India after bird flu was detected there, WAM reported yesterday.

Dr Mohammad Saeed Al Kindi, Minister of Environment and Water, said the ban covers "all domestic and wild birds, including ornamental birds and products." The decision was taken as a precautionary measure following reports by the World Organisation for Animal Health on the emergence of bird flu cases in India.

Guarded response

The government of India had confirmed the detection of bird flu in its remote north eastern state of Manipur on July 25, according to Indian news agencies.

"The poultry industry had a guarded response by saying that the outbreak of bird flu in a 'remote part' would not affect domestic sale or export of poultry products. As the incident came from a village nearer to the India-Myanmar border we don't see any setback to the industry, said Anuradha Deshai, chairperson of the National Egg Coordination committee," agencies reported.

Market sources in the UAE said the ban will not affect the price of chicken as retail share of Indian chicken is negligible. But there will be a shortage of eggs in the market as Indian eggs make 50 to 60 percent of the total sales, said a senior manager of a prominent retail chain.

Expatriates

"Asian expatriates are very fond of Indian eggs, the cheapest available in the market which cost about Dh6.50 to Dh8 for a tray of 30 eggs. But others prefer eggs from Gulf countries including the UAE and other foreign countries which cost about Dh13.50 to Dh14.50 [for a tray of 30 eggs]," he explained. "About 70 per cent of the Indian eggs are purchased by hotels, cafeterias and bakeries."

Purchase manager of a prominent retail chain disclosed that two of the suppliers who distribute the commodity from the UAE and the other Gulf countries have given him notice to increase the price by 10 to 15 per cent following the ban.

"Interestingly one supplier had given the notice a week back, saying that there would be a ban on Indian eggs following the reports in media about the outbreak of bird flu.

"If the ban continues, the prices may go up by 30 per cent which happened during the last ban in March this year," he said.

It is the third time in two years the UAE imposes a ban on the import of Indian poultry products as a precaution against bird flu. The ban imposed in February 2006 was lifted in January 2007.

The ban was again imposed in March this year and lifted on June 7.


Your comments


I think we should just get used to the price of every single thing going up no matter what excuse.
John
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 01, 2007, 07:09

The only things constantly goes down is the salary.
Nelson
Dubai,UAE
Posted: August 01, 2007, 06:54

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