Paraguayan egg prices cause public discontent An industry association analyzes why

In an interview, Rolando Ramirez, president of the Paraguayan Association of Small Egg Producers (APPPH), explained the reason behind the rising price of eggs.

Paraguay's Latest Hour newspaper reported on March 6 that, according to monitoring by the Secretariat for the Protection of Consumers and Users (Sedeco), the maximum price paid by an end consumer for six eggs in early February was 7,350 Guarani, while in early March the price rose to 7,600 Guarani.

Currently, egg producers sell eggs at a wholesale price of between 21,000 and 24,000 guarani per plate of 30 eggs, Ramirez noted. The rise in retail prices has been caused by a number of factors, including high temperatures in the first two months of the year that have affected egg production; The cost of producing eggs has soared (the price of soybean meal in chicken feed is 120% higher than before the pandemic); Egg shipping rates soared; As a precaution against avian influenza, the National Agency for Animal Health and Quality Services (Senacsa) has banned the import of broiler chickens for breeding purposes, resulting in a shortage of broiler chickens and negatively affecting egg production.

Ramirez stressed that the rise in retail egg prices in the first two months of this year was not entirely due to primary production factors, but seasonal factors as well. In the run-up to Holy Week, it is normal for egg prices to rise as demand rises.

In addition, Ramirez expressed hope that Senacsa would step up efforts to fight smuggling and prevent smuggled eggs from entering the country and affecting the domestic market.