Bird flu or avian influenza—a respiratory disease of birds caused by influenza A viruses—has caused the rise in the price of eggs in the country, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said, Thursday, Jan. 12.
“Tinamaan po tayo ng avian influenza (bird flu) so nag-re-recover pa lang tayo (We’ve been hit by avian influenza or bird flu so we are still recovering from it),” said Assistant Secretary Rex Estoperez, DA’s deputy spokesperson, said in a television interview when asked about the egg price increase in the country.
The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) said the production of eggs during the cold season is usually low, he added.
Estoperez said the agriculture department is closely monitoring the price of eggs in markets.
Based on the price monitoring of the agriculture department as of Jan. 12, the price of a medium-sized egg in Metro Manila costs P7 to P9.
Regular-sized eggs reportedly cost as high as P10 per piece in some markets in the metropolis.
He noted that even local egg producers have admitted that it will take time for the egg industry to recover after dealing with the effects of bird flu.
Earlier, Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura or SINAG president Rosendo So said there was an egg shortage in the country after provinces such as Bulacan and Pampanga have been hit by bird flu.