Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 4) — While eggs are the cheapest source of protein, demand for the commodity has fallen due to rising costs of other goods, a group said Tuesday.
“Talagang kakaunti na ang pambili ng tao. Tumaas lahat ngayon ang gastos sa pamilya, hindi naman nagbabago yung sweldo, so ang binabawasan nila ng budget — pagkain,” Philippine Egg Board Association (PEBA) Chairman Gregorio San Diego told CNN Philippines.
[Translation: Consumers really have limited resources. Expenses for the family has increased, but wages remain the same, so they cut down on their food budget.]
Aside from household consumers, businesses that usually use egg as a raw material have also lowered their demand for the commodity, he added.
“Pati sa mga bakeshop hindi na ganoon karami ang ino-order nilang itlog,” San Diego noted. “Hindi pa nakakabawi sa tingin namin ang economy.”
[Translation: Even bakeshops are not ordering as many eggs as before. We think the economy has yet to recover.]Given the weak demand, San Diego said the prices of egg are expected to decline.
According to the Department of Agriculture’s latest price monitoring, the average price of a medium egg in Metro Manila ranges from ₱6.7 to ₱8.5 per piece, lower than the ₱7.16 to ₱8.5 per piece a week ago.
The group has said farmers are suffering from losses due the weak demand coupled by the high cost of chicken feed.
Currently, a kilo of feed costs ₱35, almost double the ₱19 to ₱20 a kilo recorded four years ago, San Diego noted.
