Egg-in-midday-meal ups demand, prices

PATNA: The demand for eggs goes up and so do its prices when the mercury goes down. This winter, however, egg prices are almost double those last year. Market watchers attribute it to the state government’s decision last month to provide an egg in the midday meal of primary students once a week.
There are nearly two crore students studying in classes I to VIII in the state government’s schools, who are given free midday meal.
A crate containing 30 eggs is now selling for not less than Rs 210, up from Rs 120 to Rs 140 till last month.
Surendra Sahu, who ekes out a living by selling Chinese-style snack egg rolls from his cart on Fraser Road, is in dilemma. “My egg roll is priced at Rs 40. I think there will be no takers if I double the prices,” he said and added he would switch over to another business if the prices of egg didn’t reduce in the next few weeks.
Vimal Sahay, who runs an egg roll shop on Boring Road, is optimistic that the egg prices will fall down. “We have already suffered a lot due to demonetization. I cannot up the egg roll prices temporarily as the wholesale prices of eggs, as it is, will fall after the winter when the demand goes down,” he said.
Students, especially those living alone to pursue studies, are also sore. “I love to cook and eat egg curry in the winter season, but cannot afford it more than once every fortnight,” said Amit Kumar who stays on Nala Road and prepares for competitive examinations.
Wholesaler Satya Ranajn, who has his store on Bailey Road, admitted the egg-in-midday-meal scheme led to sudden rise in the demand and, subsequently, prices. “The egg prices will stabilise after mid-December,” he said.