Filipinos called on the agriculture department to donate or distribute eggs after it encouraged the public to increase their egg consumption amid the reported oversupply in local production.
Department of Agriculture (DA) spokesperson Arnel de Mesa on Monday revealed that they have asked other agencies to convince people to eat more eggs as the produce faces low demand but high supply.
“We continue to coordinate with the DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) and other agencies, the National Nutrition Council, to promote eating eggs because we know that eggs are the cheapest source of protein for Filipinos,” he said in a government television program.
The Philippine Egg Board Association (PEBA) said that the farmgate price of small eggs has dipped to P4 to P5, while the medium eggs have gone down to P5 to P6.
The prices depend on where the farm is located,
“Dumami [nang] konti ang supply, pero ang malaki, nabawas ay ang perang pangbili ng mga tao, kaya lumalabas ay over supply,” PEBA chairman Gregorio San Diego was quoted as saying.
De Mesa confirmed the egg “over supply” and reasoned it was due to the cold weather in the recent weeks brought by the northeast monsoon.
Reports said that according to egg wholesalers in Cavite Street at Blumentritt in Manila, price of eggs per tray decreased by up to P20.
Medium-sized eggs, on the other hand, were being sold for P160 per tray, while large sizes were priced at P180. Extra large eggs, meanwhile, costs P210 per tray.
The DA’s call for Filipinos to increase their egg consumption garnered proposals.
“Here’s an idea: government can purchase the eggs and donate it to the feeding programs or give them away para hindi masayang iyong itlog,” a user on the X (formerly Twitter) platform said.
“Donate na lang kaya,” another Pinoy wrote.
“DA should help in distributing these to areas na kulang sa supplies naman ng eggs. In our area, P8 per piece amid the cheapest you can find. Sana all P4 lang,” commented a different user.
Last month, the Quezon City government and a non-government organization helped farmers deal with their cabbage oversupply by giving it away to city constituents.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte also invited those who were interested to give donations to help the farmers before.
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De Mesa said that while the country is facing an egg over supply, the DA is focusing its efforts on increasing production in rice, vegetable, meat and fish industries in the next three years to address the country’s food security issues.
