Egg prices hit record Rs 9 in Telangana as chicken touches Rs 300/kg amid supply crunch

Egg and chicken prices have surged across Telangana due to heavy bird mortality during summer, rising poultry feed costs, and strong export demand. Consumers, bakeries, and eateries are facing higher expenses, while the poultry industry expects prices to remain elevated until supply improves.

Hyderabad: Several households across Telangana are spending significantly more on their meals as egg and chicken prices have surged sharply over the past month, forcing consumers to stretch their food budgets while bakeries and eateries grapple with rising input costs.

Retail egg prices have touched a record Rs 9 a piece, up from around Rs 7 at the end of June, while chicken is selling for nearly Rs 300 per kg in several markets.

---

According to traders, eggs are being procured from poultry farms at Rs 7.15 to Rs 7.20 each, while wholesale prices have climbed to around Rs 8.50 per egg or Rs 255 to Rs 260 per tray of 30 eggs. The increase has been passed on to consumers, who are now shelling out substantially more for their purchases.

Poultry farmers attributed the price rise to heavy bird mortality during the peak summer months, soaring feed costs and strong export demand. They said extreme heat led to significant losses in poultry farms, reducing egg and broiler production across the State.

“The cost of poultry feed, particularly maize and soybean meal, has increased considerably. At the same time, thousands of birds died due to heat stress this summer, resulting in lower production and reduced market supplies,” said M Shiva Kumar, a poultry farmer.

The impact is being felt across the food industry. Bakery owners said the increase in egg prices has sharply raised production costs.

“We use nearly 1,000 eggs every day for preparing cakes, pastries and other bakery products. We cannot stop production, so we are left with no option but to absorb much of the increase by reducing our profit margins,” said a bakery owner in Hyderabad.

The broiler chicken market has witnessed a similar trend. Live bird prices have increased by nearly Rs 50 per kg over the past month, pushing retail chicken prices to around Rs 300 per kg.

Poultry farmer Gopi Sai Babu said the industry suffered unusually high losses this summer. “Under normal conditions, around 1,000 birds out of every 10,000 die due to disease or weather-related factors. This year, heat stress alone claimed nearly 2,000 birds per 10,000, while chick production also declined, reducing overall supply,” he said.

Industry representatives expect prices to remain elevated in the coming weeks unless production improves and feed costs ease.