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🇳🇵 Nepal /Economy & Trade

The egg crisis followed me from New York to Kathmandu

From Kathmandu Post · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • The author observed rising egg prices in Kathmandu, Nepal, mirroring a crisis experienced in New York.
  • While New York's egg prices were attributed to avian flu and a subsequent antitrust lawsuit against producers, Nepal's situation is blamed on bird flu and a lack of regulatory oversight.
  • Consumer advocates in Nepal note the absence of laws governing egg price setting, allowing traders and associations to raise prices at their discretion.

The author's move from New York to Kathmandu was intended to escape the "exorbitant" cost of groceries, particularly eggs, which had become a "luxury" in the American city. However, the "egg crisis" appears to have followed, with prices in Nepal's capital also steadily increasing.

Egg prices increase for the fourth time in a month, hovering at around Rs575 for a crate.

— Newspaper reportReporting on the rising cost of eggs in Kathmandu.

In New York, the surge in egg prices was linked to the H5N1 avian flu strain and a Justice Department lawsuit against major egg producers for alleged price coordination. The author notes the existence of a "mechanism" in the U.S. to address such issues, involving antitrust laws and investigations.

there is no law and no standard that governs how egg prices get set.

— Consumer rights advocateExplaining the lack of regulatory oversight on egg pricing in Nepal.

Kathmandu's situation, while also impacted by bird flu which has killed nearly a million birds, lacks such regulatory scrutiny. The Nepal Layers Poultry Farmers’ Association has raised support prices multiple times, citing a significant gap between demand and supply. However, consumer advocates point out that without governing laws or standards for price setting, traders and associations can arbitrarily increase prices. A supply department official confirmed their office can only check if eggs are sold at the announced price, not question the price itself.

his office checks whether eggs are sold at the price the producers’ association announces. It does not have the authority to ask why that price is what it is.

— Supply department officialDescribing the limited scope of his office's authority regarding egg prices.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Kathmandu Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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