Despite all their hard work producing eggs, farmers have no say in setting their prices. They only find out the market rate after selling their eggs—often not until the following morning.
In Dhaka’s wholesale markets at Tejgaon and Karwan Bazar, wholesalers, distributors, and major buyers determine the daily price, which is then communicated to farmers via mobile text messages through intermediaries known as “media.”
In the egg trade, the term “media” refers to middlemen. From the farm to the consumer, there are usually five to seven layers of such intermediaries—and it’s this chain of hands that drives up the price. A recent on-the-ground investigation revealed these findings.
Agricultural economists say the rise of these media stems from weaknesses in the supply chain. The multiple layers between farmers and consumers destabilize the market. Farmers explain that they have no choice but to sell through these media, especially small and medium-sized ones who are completely dependent on them. The media form syndicates that control egg prices.
Farmers say if there were wholesale egg markets in each district and a few in Dhaka, they could sell directly—benefiting both producers and consumers. Prices would drop, and market volatility would ease.
Speaking at an event marking World Egg Day in Dhaka, Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter acknowledged that prices often rise due to irregularities and unnecessary handovers among intermediaries.
She said stronger market monitoring is needed, and stern action would be taken against those manipulating prices.
Several farmers, requesting anonymity, said media often claim that demand is low to deprive them of fair prices. Sometimes they hoard eggs for three or four days, artificially hiking prices and pocketing millions—while farmers are blamed.
At present, farm eggs are being sold at Tk 50 per four-piece pack in Dhaka’s retail markets, according to both traders and the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB). Yet, as of Friday, farmers were getting only Tk 10.10 per egg for brown-shelled ones—about Tk 40.40 per four. This means the price rises by more than Tk 9.50 per egg before reaching consumers.
Three decades ago, Bangladeshis consumed just 10–15 eggs per person annually. Today, that number stands at 137, according to the Department of Livestock Services. Eggs, often called “the poor man’s protein,” must therefore remain affordable for low-income households.
How the Media System Works
Industry insiders explain that local collectors first buy eggs from farmers. These go to sub-district wholesalers, then district-level markets, and finally to Dhaka’s wholesale hubs. From there, retailers buy eggs to sell to consumers. Each step adds costs for transport, storage, and commissions.
Md. Tofazzal Hossain, owner of Aziron Poultry Farm in Gazipur, said if farmers could sell directly in Dhaka, both they and consumers would benefit. “We’ve repeatedly asked the livestock department and related ministries to establish 14–15 wholesale egg markets in Dhaka, but nothing has happened,” he said. “If a proper market system existed, there would never be instability.”
He added that Bangladesh lacks licensed cold storage facilities for eggs. As a result, when production peaks, farmers are forced to sell at low prices since they can’t store their stock.
Without storage options, control of the market naturally falls to the media. Md. Abdur Rahman, owner of Rahman Poultry Farm in Katiadi, Kishoreganj, told The Daily Ittefaq that farmers cannot set prices themselves. “Rates are fixed at Tejgaon and Karwan Bazar. Since there’s no district-level wholesale market, we have to sell to local media. Small farmers can’t afford to transport 5,000–10,000 eggs to Dhaka.”
He added that production costs are heavily dependent on feed and fuel. Since ingredients like soybean meal, maize, and premix are imported, feed prices rise. Combined with higher diesel and electricity costs, production expenses have soared.
Rahman said, “Under the current tax structure, farmers must pay a turnover tax of 0.6–1% on sales, even if they make no profit. This is extremely harmful for entrepreneurs. To sustain this sector, we need a fair market system where farmers get just prices and consumers get affordable nutrition.”
Amanat Ullah, president of the Tejgaon Egg Traders Association, said, “Eggs bought from outside Dhaka always pass through middlemen—we can’t buy directly from farms. There are no official receipts for these transactions. That’s why prices rise with every hand the eggs pass through.”
AHM Shafikuzzaman, former Director General of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection and current president of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), told The Daily Ittefaq: “How can small farmers send 2,000–3,000 eggs to Dhaka on their own? We need cooperatives for that. The government even has a cooperative department, but what are they doing?”
He added, “The livestock department focuses only on production, not marketing. When I was DG of consumer rights, I tried to break the egg market syndicate in Tejgaon and Karwan Bazar. If that syndicate can be dismantled, the egg market will stabilize.”