Egg prices below cost: Smallholders cry foul over dumping, demand probe.

MGR Online•Politics•226d ago

Reader Briefing

Small-scale egg farmers are facing significant losses due to large farms and middlemen allegedly dumping eggs below production cost, leading to a crisis in the domestic egg industry.

•Small-scale egg farmers in Central Thailand are incurring heavy losses as egg prices fall below production costs.
•Large farms and middlemen are accused of dumping eggs at prices significantly lower than the announced rates and production costs.
•Increased costs for animal feed, disease prevention (due to neighboring countries' avian flu outbreaks), and biosecurity measures are exacerbating the farmers' financial strain.
•The situation threatens the stability of the egg production industry and national food security if farmers are forced to quit.

Overview

•The situation of continuously falling chicken egg prices is severely impacting small-scale farmers who are struggling with accumulated losses.
•Large farms and intermediaries are reportedly colluding to dump eggs, distorting the market price below production costs.
•The average production cost for eggs is 3.22 baht per egg, while farmers are selling them for 20-30 satang less than the announced price of 3.20 baht per egg.
•Small-scale farmers are experiencing daily losses due to selling eggs below their production costs.
•Increased investment in animal feed, disease prevention, and biosecurity measures are necessary due to avian flu outbreaks in neighboring countries.
•Payow Areekul, President of the Central Region Small-Scale Layer Farmer Association, described the critical financial situation of the farmers.
•Prolonged losses could force farmers to cease operations, threatening the stability of egg production and national food security.
•The association is urging the government to urgently investigate large farms and major egg traders for price dumping practices to rectify market distortions.

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Key Quotes

Payow Areekul

"Although the announced price for mixed-grade eggs is already quite low at 3.20 baht per egg, farmers are actually selling for 20-30 satang less per egg, while average production cost is 3.22 baht per egg, causing farmers to lose money every day they sell eggs."

แม้ราคาประกาศไข่ไก่คละจะอยู่ที่ฟองละ 3.20 บาท ซึ่งเป็นราคาที่ค่อนข้างต่ำอยู่แล้ว แต่เกษตรกรกลับขายจริงได้ต่ำกว่าราคาประกาศถึง 20–30 สตางค์ต่อฟอง ขณะที่ต้นทุนการผลิตเฉลี่ยอยู่ที่ 3.22 บาทต่อฟอง ทำให้ผู้เลี้ยงต้องขาดทุนทุกวันที่ขายไข่

Key Entities

Person

Payow Areekul(นางพเยาว์ อริกุล)

President of the Central Region Small-Scale Layer Farmer Association, who is vocal about the plight of small egg farmers.

Organization

Central Region Small-Scale Layer Farmer Association(สมาคมการค้าผู้เลี้ยงไก่ไข่รายย่อยภาคกลาง)

An association representing the interests of small-scale chicken egg farmers in the central region of Thailand.

Egg Board (Committee for the Development of Laying Hens and Products)(คณะกรรมการนโยบายพัฒนาไก่ไข่และผลิตภัณฑ์ (Egg Board))

A government committee responsible for policy development related to laying hens and their products in Thailand.