Antigua and Barbuda: Govt, Farmers agree on $13 per dozen wholesale price of eggs

The government of Antigua and Barbuda and local egg producers have made a deal in order to prevent a price hike that cracked open a contentious debate on egg affordability. This comes after Prime Minister Gaston Browne took to Facebook to slam the egg cartels over sudden increase in prices. 

According to the information, the wholesale price of eggs will be $13 per dozen for the next 45 days, making it much affordable for the citizens. 

This eleventh hour agreement to make the prices $13 per dozen comes after weeks of heated negotiations that had the farmers and government walking on eggshells.

The Layer Farmers Association of Antigua and Barbuda had initially proposed to raise prices to $14 per dozen – a move that would have seen the retail prices to soar to $18-19, which would have been difficult for the consumers to afford eggs on a routine basis. This potential 40 percent increase over two years left a bad taste in consumers’ mouth as well as had the government crying foul.

Meanwhile, the government had threatened to break open the local monopoly and import eggs to keep prices from going over easily in response to the demands of the farmers. 

However, cooler heads prevailed during a cabinet meeting earlier this week during which the Minister for Agriculture, Anthony Smith, chaired a special working group on egg pricing, reported that both the parties agreed to work together. 

It is further said that over the next month and a half, the government officials and farmer representatives will be engaging in a review and analysis of local egg production costs. They hope that this partnership will lead to a solution that does not leave farmers with egg on their face or consumers feeling poached.

On the other hand, locals in the country are still slamming the egg farmers over price gouging. A citizen took to social media to say, “The organic brown eggs have gone from $18 to $21.60. Price gouging at its best. Shame on that local egg dealer,” while another individual noted, “Every time when it comes on to near Christmas they want to raise the price on eggs so wicked to people.”