Bangladesh temporarily lifts egg import ban

The Bangladesh government has temporarily lifted its ban on imported eggs until June 30 in preparation for Ramadan and to control sharply rising prices, according to the country's commerce ministry.
The price of eggs has increased by 51.06 percent to Tk 36 (US$0.36) for four eggs from Tk 24 (US$0.29) in 2011, according to data from Trading Corporation of Bangladesh. Until now, the government has been allowing egg imports on a case-by-case basis. “Between now and June 30, businessmen can import any quantity of eggs without permission from the commerce ministry,” said a ministry official. “They have to certify, though, that the eggs originated from avian influenza-free countries.”
Daily demand for eggs across the country is 20 million, while the production of all kinds of eggs in the country is 10 million per day, according to data from the Bangladesh Poultry Industries Association. “Our industries will be sufferers, but we have little to do as we cannot produce the required number of eggs,” said MM Khan, secretary general of the association.

Bangladesh considering egg imports to offset high prices

The government of Bangladesh is considering allowing egg imports to help reduce local market prices, according to the country's Ministry of Commerce, which says that the price of eggs has gone up excessively for no discernible reason in the last couple weeks of March.
Eggs were selling in the local market between Tk 102 (US$1.25) and Tk 108 (US$1.32) per dozen on March 28, compared to between Tk 84 (US$1.03) and Tk 90 (US$1.10) during the same time in February. In 2011, a dozen eggs sold for between Tk 66 (US$0.81) and Tk 69 (US$0.84), so prices have increased 55 percent in the last year, according to Export Promotion Bureau statistics.
Ministry of Commerce officials said they will sit with egg producers and ask them to bring egg prices down within seven days. "If the price does not come to a tolerable level, traders will be allowed to import egg from abroad," said an official. Producers, on the other hand, say production is down from 15 million pieces per day to 5 million pieces per day, and that prices have increased legitimately. The government should allow the import of parent stock and bird flu vaccines, as well as bring poultry firms under regulation, to lower egg prices, say producers.  

Philippine Customs places tax on imported eggs

The Philippine Bureau of Customs has placed a 12% value-added tax on imported eggs after the United Broilers and Raisers Association and the Philippine Association of Broiler Integrators sought to bring in 150,000 hatching eggs for broiler production, according to The Philippine Star.
Gregorio San Diego, president of UBRA, said the importation of eggs is to alleviate a temporary shortage in chick production due to recent typhoons.
UBRA and Agriculture Undersecretary Bernie Fondevilla plan to appeal to the BOC and the Department of Finance to lift the tax.

Bangladesh poultry leaders protest egg imports

Leaders of Narsinghdi district chapter of Bangladesh Poultry Industries Association lifted the barricades they had erected across the Dhaka-Sylhet highway in protest of the government's decision to import eggs from India.
The poultry businessmen blocked the highway at Bhilainagar on September 8, beginning at 12 p.m., stopping hundreds of vehicles. The highway was cleared for traffic at 2:30 p.m.
The disgruntled traders say they will go for wider movement and demonstrations if the government doesn't reverse the decision within a week.
Earlier this month Commerce Minister Farukh Khan warned entrepreneurs that permission would be given to import chicks if hatchery owners failed to reduce their prices in the local market. His warning came as imports of eggs, despite protests, had successfully lowered prices in the domestic market.