JOHOR BAHRU (ANN/THE STAR) – Consumers have plenty to cheer about as egg prices cracked open to their lowest in years, with some grades now selling at half their usual price.
Checks at sundry shops here found a tray of 30 Grade E eggs selling for as low as MYR4, down from MYR8.50, which is over a 50 per cent drop.
A tray of Grade C eggs is now priced at MYR5.50, down from MYR10. Grade D eggs have dropped to MYR4.80 per tray, from MYR9.
For larger eggs, the price is less significant, with Grade A eggs now priced at around MYR11.50 per tray, down from MYR13, while Grade B eggs have dropped to MYR9 from MYR10.50.
Bodybuilder Roby Seng, 31, said the price drop was good news for him as he typically consumes 15 hard-boiled eggs a day for muscle repair and growth.
“I took the opportunity to purchase six trays of Grade C eggs for MYR33 after finding out about the price drop. I will be sharing them with my family as they usually consume two trays of eggs each week,” said Seng, who also works as a physiotherapist.
He said his family members were also taking advantage of the “rare” situation by surveying egg prices in different locations to stock up.
Taman Universiti resident Rohana Dollah, 66, also grabbed the chance to stock up on eggs ahead of Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
“I bought a tray of Grade B eggs for MYR9.60 and Grade D eggs for MYR5.40 as the low prices caught my attention while grocery shopping at a community mall in Tampoi. Although it is about half an hour’s drive from my home, I usually shop here as the prices are cheaper compared to the market in my neighbourhood. I’m glad to save some money, especially with the prices of many items going up,” said the retiree, noting that she spends around MYR200 on groceries each week.
However, the relief may be short-lived, as retailers say that prices could go up after Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
Federation of Sundry Goods Merchants Associations committee member Wong Kok Wai said the price drop started in late February and consumers can expect to enjoy cheap eggs for another two weeks before prices return to normal.
“This is happening nationwide, not just in Johor. We expect the prices to go back to normal in the second half of April. Egg prices tend to dip before Ramadan each year, but not this significantly. This year’s price drop ranged from 10 per cent to 50 per cent, which is uncommon. The reduced egg prices make it among the lowest we have seen in years,” he noted, attributing the price dip to lower egg consumption during the fasting month and reduced exports to countries like Singapore, causing an oversupply in the market.
Wong, who also runs a wholesale and sundry shop here, said some customers expressed “disbelief” when they saw the low prices, thinking they were for 10 eggs instead of a tray of 30.
Egg seller P. Vithiya said her customers mostly prefer buying lower-grade eggs as they can purchase higher quantities and enjoy more savings.
