Why egg, chicken and milk prices are unlikely to fall soon
The gross value added from India's livestock sector was about 34% of that from crops in 2013-14 but reached 57% in 2023-24, showing the growing importance of animal products like milk, eggs, and meat. However, this progress is hindered by rising feed ingredient costs, primarily maize. In poultry feed, maize makes up 55-65% of its weight, while egg-laying birds require 50-60% maize and cattle feed has 15-20% maize.
Soybean meal also plays a crucial role, with broiler feed containing 25-30% and layer feed around 18-20%. Feed costs, which account for 65-70% of egg production, have increased significantly, from Rs 24-26 to Rs 30-32 per kg. This, combined with other rising costs, has led to a 38.7% increase in egg prices in Delhi, reaching Rs 725-730 per 100 eggs, despite a slight decrease in soybean meal prices.
The limited kharif maize acreage and uncertain yield outlook further exacerbate the situation, with the US Department of Agriculture projecting a decline in India's maize production for 2026-27.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
