News
Fallout of Covid-19 drives egg prices to an all-time high
by SURESH PERERA
The price of eggs has shot up to an all-time high of between 24 and 25 rupees each in the local market due to what an industry player described as the “fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic, which virtually devastated the trade”.
Thousands of birds had to be culled as the demand for both chicken and eggs plummeted with sales points closed and the distribution network largely disrupted during the lockdown, he said.
Wherever it was possible to dispose of stocks on a limited scale through private traders operating mobile units with police permission at the time, chicken was sold by farms far below Rs. 200 per kilogram and eggs at Rs. 3 each, the official said.
With hotels, restaurants and eateries also closed, suppliers who procured big stocks for distribution also kept away resulting in unsold quantities piling up, he recounted. “With limited storage facilities, the industry was tottering”.
Even immediately after the worst was over and Covid-19 related restrictions were eased, the demand for chicken and eggs didn’t pick up as the buying power of the people had diminished with the drop in personal incomes, he explained.
Fallout
The situation has now boiled down to inadequate layer birds to produce enough eggs to go around, the official explained.
A wholesale trader in Colombo said eggs are being sold at between Rs. 21/50 and Rs. 22/50 each, an unprecedented increase in relation to pre-Covid-19 times.
“That’s why retail prices have jumped to between Rs. 24 and 25”, he noted, while predicting that the upward trend is bound to continue until supplies normalize.
The high price of fish and seafood has also contributed towards the demand for eggs, he further said.
Some supermarkets are also offering substantial discounts on whole dressed chicken as they want to dispose of existing stocks.
“We don’t want to keep the birds in cold rooms for too long as sales are not as good as they used to be”, an official said.
There is a demand for eggs but many customers avoid buying broiler chicken claiming that “the use of steroids have turned the birds into tasteless lumps”.
That’s a misconception, the manager of a farm countered. “The use of hormones and steroids in poultry is banned under the law”.
He said that under modern breeding techniques, vitamins are added to the poultry feed, 60% of which contains maize, and the birds are slaughtered within 40 to 45 days according to the required weight.
“If we are to inject costly hormones, we will have to sell a kilogram of chicken for Rs. 1,500 to make a profit”, he asserted.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
