KATHMANDU: Poultry farmers in Nepal are set to receive the highest-ever prices for eggs starting Saturday, bringing much-needed relief after months of losses.
The farm price for large eggs has been fixed at Rs 3,600 per box (7 crates) and medium eggs at Rs 3,500.
The retail consumer price has been set at Rs 22.50 per egg.
According to the Nepal Layers Poultry Farmer Association, this adjustment allows farmers to finally cover their production costs, estimated at Rs 16.56 per egg.
Binod Pokharel, President of the Association, noted that factors such as reduced production during winter, fewer egg-laying chickens, increased tourism, and the reopening of schools and colleges have driven up demand and prices.
“With this price adjustment, farmers will receive their cost price, encouraging them after enduring significant losses,” Pokharel said.
Current production stands at approximately 2.2 million eggs daily, but many farmers are struggling due to the inability to replace old hens with new chicks.
Outgoing chairmen of the Poultry Traders Forum, Rajendra Lamichhane, and the Chitwan Industry Association, Trilochan Kandel, highlighted that while the price hike is a welcome relief, the sector remains fragile.
“If farmers continue to face losses, more will be displaced,” Kandel said.
The rise in egg prices reflects broader challenges in the poultry industry, with stakeholders urging sustainable measures to prevent further displacement of farmers.
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