Import of 4.5cr eggs approved

The commerce ministry has approved seven firms to import 4.5 crore pieces of egg to boost supply in the local market and help contain its rising prices.

The companies will have to complete the imports by December 31 this year, according to a notice from the ministry.

Dhaka-based M/S Mim Enterprise and M/S Prime Care Bangladesh along with Jashore-based M/S Tawsin Traders have been authorised to import one crore eggs each.

The remaining four will import a total of 1.5 crore eggs.

The ministry gave the temporary permission after the recent price surge in eggs, comparatively an affordable source of protein for the poor.

The price of four eggs rose by nearly 5 percent to Tk 54-Tk 58 yesterday, up from Tk 52-Tk 55 a month ago in Dhaka kitchen markets, according to the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).

Bangladesh needs five crore eggs daily and those mostly come to the capital from western regions, such as Tangail, Jashore, Thakurgaon, Pabna, Panchagarh and Rajshahi, alongside adjoining areas like Narsingdi and Gazipur.