Production of eggs to rise 27% by 2015

Egg production in the country is likely to rise 27 per cent from the present level of about Rs 7,500 crore to about Rs 9,500 crore by 2015, apex industry body The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) said today.

Egg production in India is growing at a compounded annual growth rate of over 8 per cent according to a sector-specific analysis by (Assocham).

With over 28 billion eggs produced in the state per year, Andhra Pradesh accounts for the highest share of over 30 per cent in egg production across India, according to the analysis.

Tamil Nadu, with a share of about 20 per cent, ranks second with about 20 billion eggs produced in the state each year. Maharashtra, Haryana, Punjab and West Bengal are other leading egg-producing states in India but each has a share of less than 10 per cent in the total egg produced in India.

 

Karnataka, Kerala and Odisha are other significant egg producing states with over 5 per cent share in egg production across India.

“The low cost of egg production, high productivity, rise in egg consumption in the north owing to growing per capita income of a young and increasingly urban population and emerging export markets are certain key growth drivers of egg production in India,” said D S Rawat, national secretary general of Assocham, while releasing the chamber’s analysis. “On the flip side, rise in bird mortality rate due to less intake of feed resulting from an upswing in prices of essential feeds like soya, jowar, broken rice, maize and others together with seasonal uncertainties have led to a sharp rise in egg prices of late,” said Rawat. India exports over 50 million eggs worth over Rs 250 crore each year and the winter season is the peak season for exports. Afghanistan, Algeria, Hong Kong, Maldives, Middle East and African countries are leading export markets for eggs produced across India and Brazil, China, Europe, Taiwan and the United States are India’s biggest competitors in this regard. Namakkal in Tamil Nadu is India’s egg export hub and accounts for over 90 per cent of India’s total egg exports. The global market for eggs is currently at over 2,000 billion and is rising at a growth rate of over 60 per cent. Asia accounts for about 60 per cent of global egg production followed by the US, Brazil and Mexico as they together account for about 20 per cent, Europe (15 per cent), Africa (about four per cent) and rest of the world accounts for about one per cent. “Egg consumption is rising across the globe due to rising economic prosperity amid the rising middle class together with growth in overall population and demographics, relative cost advantage, evolution of fast-food chains leading to broad egg acceptability and with eggs being a high nutrition value, affordable and quality source of animal protein,” said Rawat.

“The government should perk up egg industry in as it is environmentally sustainable and has a very low carbon footprint and eggs have the added benefit of being a more affordable and nutritional food option for consumers.” High tariff, domestic monopolies, different standards vis-à-vis sanitation, hygiene, price range of animal feed and outbreak of diseases are certain key barriers to the growth of global egg market, the Assocham analysis added.