Commodity prices rebound; Why sell graded eggs?

Commodity prices rebound

Commodity prices this week rebound and gained lost ground.

Corn prices were up by almost $4.2 per MT on an average in the Indian Markets. The average price was at $128.9 per MT, up from $124.7 per MT (last week) a gain of 3.3% in one week. The markets where the prices were high were Bihar, up from $110 per Mt to $127 per MT, a gain of 15%; Rajasthan, up from $150 to $158 per MT; and Uttar Pradesh, up to $163 from $140 per MT, an increase of 16% over last week. The Desi red variety of maize grown in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan was sold at $149 per MT, against $128 per MT of last week, an increase of 16.4%. The price of corn over last year are also high now, and are up by 2.27%.

Barley prices are soaring high and $200 per MT mark this week, up from last weeks $161 per Mt, an increase of 25%. The prices over last year is higher by 51%. Last year the price at this time of the year averaged at $133 per MT in the market yard.

Sorghum prices also rebound and reach $192 per MT, up from last weeks $169.43 per MT, an increase of 13% in one week. The prices are higher over last year by 19%.

Pearl Millet prices this week are down at $137.6 per MT, a loss of about 3.36%, but the prices are still higher than last year by $2.6 per Mt (1.98%).

There is still no way that the poultry operators can substitute Pearl Millet or Sorghum in poultry rations to reduce the prices. Pearl Millet prices are still higher than corn prices by 6.64% and the sorghum prices by 48.6%.

Why sell graded eggs?

In most countries the Grade requirements for eggs are set to protect the consuming public from undue risk. Factors like interior quality, weight, cleanliness and shell construction are considered while grading the eggs. These factors are related to safety, wholesomeness and quality. In countries like US, Canada and all of EU eggs are graded in a registered egg station to ensure they are handled and packed in a sanitary environment.

Regulations in place require that eggs from registered egg grading stations that are graded as A Grade (consumer grade eggs) must be clean and free of leaks, cracks or other defects that could present food safety problems.

In a grading station, eggs are received, washed, candled, weighed and packed into containers with the applicable grade name in an inspected, sanitary environment. The eggs must also be stored at appropriate temperature (refrigerated) before and after grading to main the quality.

By grading the eggs, it is possible to get a better return and selling eggs of particular grade to a target group who can afford to pay abetter value for Grade A eggs.

For the grading to happen, the standards must be set by a central agency and all must adhere to not only the grade standards, but also general rules of Good Manufacturing Practises (GMP) and Good Hygienic Practises (GHP). The grading and packing stations need to follow the requirements that cover all aspects of operation including construction, equipment, access to potable water, handling and packaging of eggs. All the requirements ensure that eggs sold to the consumers from these registered egg grading stations are handled and packaged in a clean, sanitary environment and are properly labelled.

Amit Sachdev
Representative
U S Grains Council, India
bluecross303@gmail.com

May 26, 2006