BAKU, Azerbaijan - Village eggs in Azerbaijan are selling for 35 to 40 gapiks each, up from 20 to 30 gapiks a month earlier as supplies fall and feed costs rise.
Wholesale prices in the regions have reached 35 gapiks per egg, while retail prices are as high as 40 gapiks, according to Vesti Baku.
For buyers who previously paid 25 gapiks per egg, a rise to 40 gapiks represents a 60% increase. A dozen eggs at that price costs 4.80 manats, while 10 eggs cost 4 manats compared with 2.50 manats previously. A tray of 30 costs 12 manats instead of 7.50 manats.
Sellers said supplies of village eggs decline in autumn even as demand remains steady. Buyers also described a seasonal pattern in which the product is more plentiful in summer and becomes more expensive as winter approaches.
Higher poultry-feed costs are adding pressure. One seller said the purchase price of grain had risen from 40 to 60 gapiks, a 50% increase, although the television report did not specify the unit of measurement.
Some villagers also attributed the smaller supply to illnesses among domestic poultry, but the report provided no information about specific diseases or the scale of bird losses.
An industry expert said lower egg production during autumn and winter could keep village-egg prices elevated in the coming months. He said further increases were possible for village eggs, while factory-produced egg prices were not currently rising and were not expected to increase in the near term.
Other Azerbaijani market reports have also placed the current price of village eggs at up to 40 gapiks, with producers citing lower cold-season output and continued demand. ENA reported that the increase had become noticeable over the past month.