November 28: Retailers are selling eggs that cost Rs 7 per piece for Rs 15. The eggs are bought for Rs 7 from the farmers while the consumers have been paying Rs 15 for a single piece of egg.

Narayan Chalise, a poultry farmer of Bharatpur-21, said that they have been selling a carton of eggs (210 eggs) for Rs 1,470. He gets Rs 7 per egg. The same egg is sold at Rs 12 to Rs 15 in Kathmandu.

Similarly, another poultry farmer Laxman Koju of Bhaktapur has been supplying the eggs in the market for Rs 9 per piece.   

Trilochan Kandel, chairman of Nepal Egg Production Association said, “We determine the wholesale and retail price of eggs so that the consumers are not cheated.” According to Kandel, consumers are being cheated because of lack of market monitoring by the government.  

Ishwar Shrestha, egg trader of Bageshwori Suppliers, Banepa claimed that the price of eggs is stable. He said that he has been paying Rs 1,600 to Rs 1,700 for a carton of eggs.

“We have been selling the eggs with a profit margin of Rs 50 per carton to the retailers,” he said.  

Ranichuri Retail Shop and Ganesh Departmental Store situated at Babarmahal, Kathmandu have been selling eggs for Rs 15 and Rs 11 per piece respectively. According to Article 108 of the Criminal Code Act, there is a provision of 5 years jail and a fine of Rs 50,000 to those who sell the products in high prices, said Jyoti Baniya, chairman of Forum for Protection of Consumers’ Rights. He said that the consumers should file complain against those who sell eggs in high prices. He informed that instant action will be taken if consumers file complain with the police or District Administration Office and that the Forum for Protection of Consumers’ Rights will support this cause.