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Eggs vanish from midday meals as prices go north
The increase in price of eggs is bearing a negative effect on the midday meal scheme as officials are forced to do away with it. With the eggs being a very good source of protein and at the same time light on the pocket, the State government has been providing eggs to students through midday meals and to children and pregnant women through Anganwadi centres.
Khammam: The increase in price of eggs is bearing a negative effect on the midday meal scheme as officials are forced to do away with it. With the eggs being a very good source of protein and at the same time light on the pocket, the State government has been providing eggs to students through midday meals and to children and pregnant women through Anganwadi centres.
However with the price of eggs on the continuous rise for the last few weeks, the officials have now chucked it away from the midday meal menu much to the disappointment of students. Most of the students of government schools in Wyra, Kalloor, Konijerla, Bommakal, Enkoor, Chintakani and Khammam rural are now served only dal and rice. Similar is the situation at Anganwadi centres as ICDS officials too expressed their inability in providing eggs due to price rise.
Meanwhile, the contractors stated that they cannot provide egg every day with the budget allotted to them, especially when the price of an egg is more than Rs 6. When contacted, the Child Development and Protection Officer (CDPO) Rathna Kumari informed that the contractors had stopped the supply of eggs due to increase in prices. Steps would be taken as per the suggestions of higher officials, she said.
According to National Egg Co-ordination Committee (NECC), jump in prices is due to an estimated 15 per cent increase in demand and increase in prices of essential vegetables. Further, the traders blame rising cost of feed, non-availability of trucks and labour as well as the customary winter drop of 5 per cent in production for the unprecedented hike in the price of eggs.
An egg retailer, K Ashok Kumar said during winter season the demand for eggs usually goes up. “The customers who once bought a tray of eggs are now purchasing a dozen and those who use to dozen eggs are purchasing six eggs due hike in price,” he said. An egg that was available in the market for just below Rs 4 now costs more than Rs 6 in many parts of the district. When vegetables turn costly, people switch to eggs pushing up its rates as well, he added.
