Dhaka, Nov 19 (V7N)- In a bid to stabilize the egg market and address soaring prices, the Ministry of Commerce has granted permission to 42 companies to import an additional 188 million eggs. The decision, announced through a notification by the Internal Trade-1 Branch, follows previous measures aimed at increasing supply and controlling retail prices.

The government has imposed strict conditions to ensure the safety and compliance of imported eggs:
1. Bird Flu Certification : Importers must submit a certificate or declaration from the exporting country's competent authority, affirming bird flu-free zoning or compartmentalization, as per World Organisation for Animal Health guidelines.
2. Health Clearance : Each consignment must have a certificate verifying the eggs are free from avian influenza and harmful bacteria, issued by the exporting country’s designated authority.
3. Regulatory Compliance : Importers must adhere to government-prescribed duties, taxes, and related regulations.
4. Advance Notice : Quarantine officers must be informed at least 15 days before each shipment.
5. Progress Reporting : Importers are required to submit progress updates to the Ministry of Commerce within seven days of receiving import permission.
6. Validity : The import authorization is valid until January 31, 2025 .

- On October 23 , 12 companies were permitted to import 40 million eggs .
- On October 7 , approval was granted for the import of 45 million eggs .
- Earlier, on September 15 , the Department of Agricultural Marketing fixed the price of eggs at 11.01 BDT per egg for wholesale and 11.87 BDT at retail, though these measures failed to rein in prices effectively.

To further ease imports, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has reduced the import duty on eggs from 25% to 5% , aiming to make eggs more affordable for consumers.

The decision reflects the government's commitment to addressing the rising cost of essential goods. However, challenges remain in ensuring the imported eggs reach consumers at fair prices, amid ongoing market volatility. Authorities will closely monitor compliance to ensure the objectives of this initiative are achieved.