Bangkok: Poultry farmers in central Thailand are calling for an investigation into the alleged dumping of egg prices, which they claim is severely impacting their livelihoods. They allege that large farms are colluding with wholesalers to sell eggs below production costs, undermining smaller farmers and destabilizing the national egg market.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Payao Arikul, President of the Central Region Small-Scale Egg Farmers' Trade Association, highlighted the financial strain on small-scale farmers due to the declining egg prices. She pointed out that production costs have surged due to necessary investments in feed, disease prevention, and biosecurity measures following avian influenza outbreaks in neighboring countries. Despite these increased costs, farmers are forced to sell eggs at prices lower than the already low announced price of 3.20 baht per egg, which is below the average production cost of 3.22 baht per egg.
The situation is exacerbated by allegations that large farms and major egg traders are manipulating market prices by dumping eggs below production costs. This practice is said to distort market prices, making it difficult for small-scale farmers to compete and threatening the overall stability of the egg industry. Ms. Payao emphasized the quality and safety of Thai chicken eggs, warning that continued losses could force farmers to cease operations, impacting food security and production stability in the long term.
In response, the association has requested large egg farms to adhere to culling guidelines based on the age of laying hens to balance market supply and demand. The association also expressed gratitude to the Egg Board for maintaining the 2026 quota for laying hen parent stock, as a further increase in the number of hens could exacerbate the current price volatility.